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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 120 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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. wound — an injury
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. wound — an injury
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. track — a path
  11. stock — goods
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. content — happy
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. track — to keep track
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. content — the amount
  19. stock — shares
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. track — a song
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. calf — a young animal

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