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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 116 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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. cell — a phone
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. staff — employees
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. mug — a face
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. cell — in biology
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. mug — a cup
  16. present — the time now
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. present — a gift
  19. present — there
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mug — to rob
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. staff — employees
  24. staff — a stick

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