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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 120 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
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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: rash · lie · suit · calf · saw · chest · rock · straw

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. suit — to fit
  6. rash — hasty
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. rash — a series
  10. suit — in cards
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. rock — a stone
  14. chest — of your body
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. chest — of your body
  17. suit — clothes
  18. lie — to recline
  19. chest — a box
  20. rock — music
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. saw — the tool
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. lie — an untruth

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