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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: calf · prune · mate · straw · row · leaves · cabinet · foot

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. prune — to trim
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. row — a line
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. mate — a friend
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. prune — to trim
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. foot — a measure
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. mate — to breed
  23. mate — a partner
  24. leaves — to go away

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