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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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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 · bank · staff · rock · deal · calf · perch · cap

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. rock — music
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. bank — for money
  7. cap — a hat
  8. bank — of a river
  9. bank — for money
  10. cap — a lid
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. staff — employees
  14. perch — the fish
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. deal — to handle
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. rock — a stone
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. cap — of ice
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. staff — a stick
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. staff — employees

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