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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. lean — to bend
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. toast — bread
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. club — for dancing
  11. lean — thin
  12. club — a group
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. club — for golf
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. mark — a trace
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. rush — hurry
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. mark — a grade

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