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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: calf · racket · field · wake · bore · bass · straw · staff

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. bore — to drill
  5. staff — employees
  6. bass — low music
  7. bore — to tire
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. field — for sport
  10. field — farmland
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. field — a subject
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. staff — employees
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. bass — the fish
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. wake — a trail
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. staff — a stick

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