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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 · hide · bark · calf · straw · perch · deal · march

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. march — the month
  7. march — the month
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. perch — the fish
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. rush — hurry
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. march — music
  20. deal — to handle
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. bark — to shout

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