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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. rush — hurry
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. last — final
  7. last — finally
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. object — an aim
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. chair — a leader
  17. last — to go on
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. object — to protest
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. bowl — to roll

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