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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. cue — for pool
  3. mug — a cup
  4. track — a path
  5. cue — a signal
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. mug — to rob
  8. fall — to drop
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. mug — a face
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. lie — to recline
  19. fall — to drop
  20. track — a song
  21. track — to keep track
  22. cue — a hint
  23. hand — in cards
  24. hand — help

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