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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: bank · foot · calf · key · wake · straw · spell · kick

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. wake — a trail
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. spell — a short time
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. spell — magic
  10. key — in music
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. bank — for money
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. key — for a lock
  15. spell — letters
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. kick — in football
  18. bank — of a river
  19. key — the most important part
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. bank — for money
  23. foot — a measure
  24. kick — a thrill

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