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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. ground — crushed
  4. ground — a position
  5. ground — the earth
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. race — humankind
  8. fall — the season
  9. race — the arms race
  10. firm — decided
  11. firm — steady
  12. net — in sport
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. fall — to drop
  15. race — a contest
  16. net — after costs
  17. fall — to drop
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. firm — a company
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. straw — dry grass

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