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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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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: perch · wound · calf · toast · straw · temple · hide · ruler

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. perch — the fish
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. toast — bread
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. wound — an injury
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. wound — an injury
  24. straw — dry grass

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