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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.

Make a worksheet

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: mine · wave · temple · calf · coach · straw · lean · can

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. lean — thin
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. can — a tin
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. can — a tin
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. mine — for digging
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. lean — to bend
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. can — to be able to
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. mine — an explosive

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