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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. season — of the year
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. pop — music
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. season — in sport
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. chest — of your body
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. chest — a box
  18. pop — soda
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. pass — a permit
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. pop — to visit
  24. chest — of your body

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