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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.

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: straw · arm · swing · saw · mark · wound · can · calf

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. can — a tin
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. swing — music
  12. wound — an injury
  13. mark — a grade
  14. can — to be able to
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. swing — in golf
  17. swing — to play on
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. wound — an injury
  20. mark — a trace
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. saw — the tool
  24. can — a tin

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