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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  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. hand — part of the body
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — a tin
  5. firm — a company
  6. fall — to drop
  7. hand — help
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. band — a music group
  11. can — to be able to
  12. fall — to drop
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. hand — in cards
  16. firm — decided
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. band — a ring
  19. firm — steady
  20. fall — the season
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. cabinet — ministers
  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