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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. pass — a permit
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. object — to protest
  8. firm — steady
  9. object — a thing
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. object — an aim
  12. fork — in a road
  13. firm — a company
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. cue — for pool
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. cue — a signal
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. firm — decided
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. straw — dry grass

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