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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: mate · lie · calf · cap · lean · swing · rest · craft

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. lean — to bend
  3. rest — a break
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. rest — what's left
  6. cap — of ice
  7. craft — a skill
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. swing — in golf
  12. cap — a hat
  13. rest — what's left
  14. craft — boats
  15. mate — a partner
  16. swing — music
  17. lie — to recline
  18. swing — to play on
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. mate — to breed
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. cap — a lid
  24. mate — a friend

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