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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: coach · season · key · calf · cap · straw · rest · lie

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. cap — a hat
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. rest — a break
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. season — of the year
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lie — to recline
  14. rest — what's left
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. cap — a lid
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. cap — of ice
  20. key — the most important part
  21. rest — what's left
  22. season — in sport
  23. key — for a lock
  24. key — in music

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