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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: craft · calf · charge · mate · lash · staff · firm · straw

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. charge — electricity
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. charge — a price
  7. staff — employees
  8. firm — a company
  9. firm — decided
  10. mate — a friend
  11. craft — a skill
  12. mate — to breed
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. craft — boats
  17. charge — in control
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. staff — employees
  21. firm — steady
  22. mate — a partner
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. lash — an eyelash

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