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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.

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: bark · calf · straw · suit · staff · pass · pop · lash

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. staff — employees
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. pass — a permit
  9. suit — clothes
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bark — to shout
  16. suit — to fit
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. pop — music
  19. suit — in cards
  20. pop — soda
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. pop — to visit
  24. staff — employees

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