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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. kick — in football
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. object — a thing
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. pop — soda
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. object — an aim
  16. plane — a tool
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. pound — a weight
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. pop — to visit
  22. pop — music
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. pitcher — a jug

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