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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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. shower — to wash
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. kick — in football
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. shower — rain
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. pitch — completely
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. season — of the year
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. season — in sport
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. plane — a tool
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. season — to add flavour

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