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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: cabinet · calf · rash · rock · bay · saw · lie · spring

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. spring — of water
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. rock — a stone
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. saw — the tool
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. spring — a coil
  14. lie — to recline
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. rash — a series
  17. saw — the tool
  18. rock — music
  19. spring — the season
  20. rash — hasty
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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