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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 124 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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. bear — the animal
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. roll — a cake
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. wake — a trail
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. roll — a list
  17. kick — in football
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. bear — the animal
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. pitch — completely

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