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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 116 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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. shower — to wash
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. object — to protest
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. track — to keep track
  10. track — a path
  11. mate — a partner
  12. club — for golf
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. shower — rain
  16. squash — to crush
  17. squash — the sport
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. mate — to breed
  20. club — for dancing
  21. track — a song
  22. club — a group
  23. object — an aim
  24. mate — a friend

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