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

Word bank: bay · calf · straw · race · cabinet · rest

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. race — a contest
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. rest — a break
  10. race — the arms race
  11. race — humankind
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. rest — what's left
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. rest — what's left

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