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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 120 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 giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. mug — a face
  3. bear — the animal
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. mate — a friend
  8. tear — from crying
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. staff — a stick
  11. mate — to breed
  12. mug — to rob
  13. bear — the animal
  14. mug — a cup
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. staff — employees
  19. staff — employees
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. mate — a partner
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. tear — from crying
  24. tear — to rip

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