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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 ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. bark — to shout
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. lean — to bend
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. lean — thin
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. kick — in football
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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