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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 goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. rush — hurry
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. present — a gift
  6. dip — to sink
  7. fall — to drop
  8. present — the time now
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. fall — to drop
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. pop — to visit
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. pop — music
  18. present — there
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. fall — the season
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. pop — soda

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