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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. drill — a practice
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. court — for sport
  9. court — of law
  10. drill — the tool
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. drill — army training
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. court — of a king
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. deal — to handle
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. pitcher — a jug

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