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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. pit — in a race
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. row — to paddle
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. wind — moving air
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. pit — a hole
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. row — a line
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. cabinet — ministers

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