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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: calf · cue · straw · fork · fall · face · cabinet · bound

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  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. fork — in a road
  2. face — part of the head
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. fall — to drop
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. face — to confront
  12. fall — the season
  13. cue — a signal
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. cue — a hint
  16. cue — for pool
  17. face — to point toward
  18. bound — obliged
  19. bound — tied together
  20. bound — certain
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. fall — to drop
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  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