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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 did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. lean — to bend
  5. pass — a permit
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. ground — the earth
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. season — in sport
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. mug — a cup
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. mug — a face
  15. mug — to rob
  16. ground — a position
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. ground — crushed
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. season — of the year
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. lean — thin

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