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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 116 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: can · band · straw · object · bore · net · calf · cabinet

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. bore — to drill
  3. band — a music group
  4. band — a ring
  5. can — a tin
  6. net — after costs
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. can — a tin
  9. net — in sport
  10. object — an aim
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. can — to be able to
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. object — to protest
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. net — for catching
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. object — a thing
  22. bore — to tire
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. straw — a straw man

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