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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. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. cap — of ice
  4. cap — a lid
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. cell — a phone
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. wax — to grow
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. cell — in biology
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. craft — a skill
  21. cap — a hat
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. craft — boats

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