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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 refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. mug — a face
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. mug — to rob
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. kid — child
  9. charge — a price
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. charge — electricity
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. game — a match
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. charge — in control
  21. kid — to tease
  22. game — wild animals
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. calf — a young animal

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