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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. clip — for paper
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. cue — a signal
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. clip — to cut
  8. charge — electricity
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. can — a tin
  11. charge — a price
  12. kick — in football
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. can — a tin
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. cue — for pool
  17. charge — in control
  18. cue — a hint
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. can — to be able to
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. clip — a video

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