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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. bank — of a river
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. root — of a word
  7. plane — a tool
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. bank — for money
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. pound — a weight
  13. lie — to recline
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. bank — for money
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. root — of a plant
  18. fine — all right
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. fine — high quality
  21. root — the cause
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. fork — in a road
  24. calf — a young animal

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