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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. firm — decided
  4. firm — a company
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. stock — goods
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. firm — steady
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. stock — shares
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. suit — to fit
  19. kick — in football
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. suit — clothes
  22. wax — to grow
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. straw — a straw man

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