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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rock · bowl · straw · wave · calf · coach

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. rock — music
  8. rock — a stone
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. straw — dry grass

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