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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 120 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: cue · calf · deal · cabinet · net · clip · straw · leaves

  1. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. clip — to cut
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. net — for catching
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. deal — to handle
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. cue — for pool
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. net — in sport
  18. cue — a hint
  19. cue — a signal
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. clip — a video
  22. net — after costs
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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