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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: cabinet · straw · net · ruler · rock · calf · track · capital

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. track — to keep track
  3. track — a song
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. net — in sport
  10. rock — a stone
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. track — a path
  17. rock — music
  18. capital — a city
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. net — after costs
  21. capital — money
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. net — for catching

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