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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 120 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: straw · pitcher · saw · drill · calf · trunk · bay · stick

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. saw — the tool
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. drill — a practice
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. drill — the tool
  16. saw — the tool
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. straw — dry grass

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