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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
468
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: rush · bear · dip · straw · calf · board · craft · cold

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. The water is too ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. craft — a skill
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. cold — not warm
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. board — to get on
  15. board — a committee
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. cold — an illness
  19. craft — boats
  20. bear — the animal
  21. dip — to sink
  22. bear — the animal
  23. rush — hurry
  24. rush — a thrill

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