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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 120 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: mine · foot · current · calf · ball · lie · board · straw

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. board — a committee
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. current — electric
  10. lie — to recline
  11. ball — a dance
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. ball — a great time
  16. board — to get on
  17. current — of water
  18. current — happening now
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. mine — for digging
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. foot — a measure

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