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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. bank — for money
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. face — to confront
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. foot — a measure
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. branch — a division
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. face — to point toward
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. bank — for money
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. bank — of a river
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. foot — the bottom

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