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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 124 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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. ball — a dance
  4. ball — a great time
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. charge — a price
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. hand — in cards
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. charge — in control
  14. hand — help
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. bear — the animal
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. charge — electricity
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. calf — a young animal

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