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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 120 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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. present — a gift
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. vault — a safe
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. stand — to bear
  13. present — the time now
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. present — there
  23. rash — hasty
  24. rash — a series

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