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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: degree · leaves · calf · safe · cabinet · staff · trunk · straw

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  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. safe — out of danger
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. staff — employees
  5. degree — an amount
  6. degree — from a university
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. degree — temperature
  10. staff — a stick
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. staff — employees
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. safe — a strongbox
  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