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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: temple · calf · straw · shower · roll · craft · net · lean

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  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. calf — a young animal
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. net — after costs
  5. shower — rain
  6. craft — a skill
  7. lean — to bend
  8. net — for catching
  9. shower — to wash
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. craft — boats
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. net — in sport
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. lean — thin
  20. roll — a list
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. roll — a cake
  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