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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. kick — in football
  4. plane — a tool
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. bear — the animal
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. mug — to rob
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. mug — a cup
  17. dip — to sink
  18. mug — a face
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. bear — the animal
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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