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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: calf · straw · mine · foot · mate · ruler · rock · chip

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. rock — music
  9. foot — a measure
  10. mate — to breed
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. mine — for digging
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. chip — for betting
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. rock — a stone
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. chip — to eat
  23. mate — a friend
  24. rock — to move gently

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