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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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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: hide · can · straw · bat · calf · leaves · bark · suit

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. bat — the animal
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. can — a tin
  12. suit — clothes
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. suit — to fit
  17. can — a tin
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. can — to be able to
  22. suit — in cards
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. bark — to shout

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