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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. firm — steady
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. firm — decided
  9. court — for sport
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. pitch — completely
  12. staff — employees
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. firm — a company
  15. staff — employees
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. staff — a stick
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. court — of a king
  22. court — of law
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. pound — a weight

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