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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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. scale — in music
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. wind — moving air
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. mate — to breed
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. wind — moving air
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. lie — to recline
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mate — a friend
  18. plane — a tool
  19. mate — a partner
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. scale — size or range
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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