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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 protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. mine — for digging
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. club — for dancing
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. date — the fruit
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. club — for golf
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. club — a group
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. jam — a tight spot

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