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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. shower — to wash
  5. can — a tin
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. object — an aim
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. snap — to click
  14. object — a thing
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. object — to protest
  17. can — a tin
  18. can — to be able to
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. straw — dry grass

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