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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.

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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: calf · kid · racket · prune · straw · lie · lean · net

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. net — in sport
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. kid — to tease
  11. lean — thin
  12. lean — to bend
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. prune — to trim
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. net — after costs
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. prune — to trim
  21. lie — to recline
  22. kid — child
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. calf — a young animal

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