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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 goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. ball — a dance
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. march — the month
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. march — the month
  14. drill — the tool
  15. ball — a great time
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. march — music
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. bore — to tire
  21. drill — a practice
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. bore — to drill
  24. drill — army training

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