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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. bank — for money
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. bear — the animal
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. spell — letters
  9. spell — a short time
  10. spell — magic
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. bank — of a river
  13. field — farmland
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. current — of water
  16. bank — for money
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. roll — a cake
  19. current — electric
  20. field — a subject
  21. roll — a list
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. current — happening now
  24. field — for sport

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