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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. cue — for pool
  3. march — the month
  4. firm — steady
  5. degree — temperature
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bank — of a river
  8. firm — decided
  9. lie — to recline
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. degree — from a university
  12. sharp — clever
  13. cue — a hint
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. march — music
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. cue — a signal
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. bank — for money
  22. firm — a company
  23. degree — an amount
  24. march — the month

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