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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: rock · straw · stem · calf · mate · scale · plane · coach

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. scale — in music
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. stem — to come from
  10. rock — music
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. plane — a tool
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. mate — to breed
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. scale — size or range
  20. rock — a stone
  21. mate — a friend
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. mate — a partner

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