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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: perch · calf · cabinet · mate · straw · fork · bore · board

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. board — a committee
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. perch — the fish
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. mate — a friend
  14. bore — to drill
  15. mate — a partner
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. bore — to tire
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. mate — to breed
  22. fork — in a road
  23. board — to get on
  24. calf — a young 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