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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: bound · mark · pop · rest · straw · toast · calf · face

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. pop — to visit
  3. face — to confront
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. pop — soda
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. pop — music
  9. rest — a break
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bound — certain
  12. mark — a grade
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. face — part of the head
  15. rest — what's left
  16. face — to point toward
  17. toast — bread
  18. bound — obliged
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. mark — a trace
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. toast — the most admired

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