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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: ball · calf · root · present · bay · straw · lie · rush

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. ball — a great time
  10. root — of a word
  11. lie — to recline
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. root — the cause
  15. present — there
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. present — the time now
  19. root — of a plant
  20. ball — a dance
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. rush — hurry
  23. present — a gift
  24. ball — a round shape

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