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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: jam · mouse · straw · calf · stick · charge · bay · leaves

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. charge — electricity
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. charge — a price
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. charge — in control
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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