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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. land — to come down
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. bank — for money
  5. row — a line
  6. land — a country
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. bank — for money
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. mug — a face
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. lie — to recline
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. row — to paddle
  18. bank — of a river
  19. pit — in a race
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. land — ground
  23. mug — a cup
  24. pit — a hole

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