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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: game · snap · straw · lean · coach · fan · cabinet · calf

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. game — a match
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. snap — to click
  19. lean — thin
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. lean — to bend
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. cabinet — ministers

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