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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: mug · calf · nail · face · stick · ball · toast · straw

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. ball — a dance
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. ball — a great time
  7. face — to point toward
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. toast — bread
  10. mug — to rob
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. face — part of the head
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. mug — a face
  19. mug — a cup
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. face — to confront

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