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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. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. date — the fruit
  9. bore — to tire
  10. vault — a safe
  11. net — in sport
  12. net — for catching
  13. net — after costs
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. bulb — for light
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. bulb — for light
  19. swing — music
  20. swing — to play on
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. swing — in golf
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. bore — to drill

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