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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. mug — a face
  3. foot — a measure
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. hand — help
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. hand — in cards
  10. mug — to rob
  11. pass — a permit
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. mug — a cup
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. lie — to recline
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. lie — an untruth

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com