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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bound — tied together
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. bore — to tire
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. fall — to drop
  8. degree — an amount
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. bore — to drill
  11. fall — to drop
  12. firm — a company
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. degree — from a university
  18. bound — obliged
  19. fall — the season
  20. bound — certain
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. firm — steady
  24. degree — temperature

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