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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. field — farmland
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. field — for sport
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. court — of law
  10. shower — rain
  11. bank — for money
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. squash — to crush
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. shower — to wash
  16. bank — for money
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. court — for sport
  19. squash — the sport
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. field — a subject
  23. court — of a king
  24. ruler — a monarch

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