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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 116 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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. pop — soda
  5. net — for catching
  6. net — after costs
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. spell — a short time
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. pop — music
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. net — in sport
  20. spell — magic
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. pop — to visit
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. spell — letters

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