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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. shower — to wash
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. craft — boats
  16. rush — hurry
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. craft — a skill
  21. shower — rain
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. bark — to shout

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