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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: safe · branch · mine · straw · face · calf · vault · present

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. mine — for digging
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. face — to point toward
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. branch — a division
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. face — to confront
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. vault — a safe
  19. face — part of the head
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. present — a gift
  23. present — there
  24. present — the time now

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