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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 old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. craft — boats
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. craft — a skill
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. staff — employees
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. staff — employees
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. fall — to drop
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. fall — to drop
  22. fall — the season
  23. bark — to shout
  24. jam — in traffic

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