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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 · rush · kick · lie · nail · track · straw · saw

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. rush — hurry
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. track — a path
  8. lie — to recline
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. track — a song
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. saw — the tool
  16. track — to keep track
  17. kick — in football
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. saw — the tool
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. nail — for a hammer

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