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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 giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. shower — rain
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. court — of a king
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. court — of law
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. fine — all right
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. court — for sport
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. chip — to eat
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. firm — a company
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. shower — to wash
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. fine — high quality
  21. firm — decided
  22. firm — steady
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. chip — for betting

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