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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 protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. lean — thin
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. tube — the underground
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. pass — a permit
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. fine — all right
  13. tube — a container
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. swing — in golf
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. swing — to play on
  20. lean — to bend
  21. swing — music
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. fine — high quality

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