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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. pop — soda
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. object — a thing
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. pop — to visit
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. object — an aim
  16. fine — high quality
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. fine — all right
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. pop — music
  24. object — to protest

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