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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.

Make a worksheet

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: mouse · pop · bowl · face · calf · straw · saw · rock

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. face — to point toward
  3. face — part of the head
  4. pop — to visit
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. rock — a stone
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. saw — the tool
  14. saw — the tool
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. rock — music
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. pop — soda
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. pop — music
  24. mouse — the animal

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