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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 116 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.

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: mate · calf · file · rush · straw · board · saw · cue

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. file — a line of people
  3. cue — a hint
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. mate — a friend
  6. file — a document
  7. board — a committee
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. saw — the tool
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. cue — a signal
  13. mate — a partner
  14. saw — the tool
  15. cue — for pool
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. rush — hurry
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. file — a tool
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. board — to get on
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. straw — a straw man

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