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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. rush — hurry
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. cue — for pool
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. cue — a hint
  13. last — finally
  14. pitch — completely
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. last — to go on
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. cue — a signal
  19. foot — a measure
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. last — final
  24. foot — part of the body

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