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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: suit · cap · root · lie · straw · cabinet · calf · lean

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. cap — a lid
  4. lean — to bend
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. suit — to fit
  8. root — of a plant
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. lie — to recline
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. root — the cause
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. cap — of ice
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. suit — clothes
  18. cap — a hat
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. root — of a word
  22. suit — in cards
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. lie — an untruth

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