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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. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. band — a ring
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. club — for golf
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. perch — the fish
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. club — for dancing
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. pound — a weight
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. dip — to sink
  22. club — a group
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. band — a music group

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