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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: last · calf · lie · mate · key · straw · saw · stock

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. last — final
  5. key — the most important part
  6. mate — a friend
  7. key — for a lock
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. last — finally
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. stock — goods
  12. last — to go on
  13. stock — shares
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. saw — the tool
  18. mate — a partner
  19. key — in music
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. saw — the tool
  23. mate — to breed
  24. straw — dry grass

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