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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. pass — a permit
  5. rule — a law
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. wound — an injury
  8. wound — an injury
  9. content — the amount
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. rule — government
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. snap — to click
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. content — happy
  23. season — of the year
  24. season — in sport

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