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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. chest — of your body
  3. row — to paddle
  4. object — a thing
  5. object — to protest
  6. chest — of your body
  7. ball — a great time
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. can — to be able to
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. chest — a box
  12. can — a tin
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. suit — to fit
  16. ball — a dance
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. suit — in cards
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. row — a line
  21. object — an aim
  22. can — a tin
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. suit — clothes

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