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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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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: lie · straw · deal · calf · vault · patient · wake · mate

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. mate — to breed
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. mate — a friend
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. deal — to handle
  9. lie — to recline
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. vault — a safe
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. wake — a trail
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. mate — a partner
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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