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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. plane — a tool
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. key — for a lock
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. key — in music
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. staff — employees
  18. key — the most important part
  19. staff — employees
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. staff — a stick
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. arm — part of the body

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