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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: mouse · straw · bark · calf · saw · fan · staff · kick

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. bark — to shout
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. staff — employees
  11. kick — in football
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. saw — the tool
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. staff — employees
  19. saw — the tool
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. mouse — the animal

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