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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. fall — to drop
  5. suit — clothes
  6. fall — to drop
  7. suit — in cards
  8. season — of the year
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. cap — a hat
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. cap — a lid
  15. suit — to fit
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. cap — of ice
  20. season — in sport
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. fall — the season

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