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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 116 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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. court — of law
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. bank — of a river
  6. last — to go on
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. court — for sport
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. pass — a permit
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. bank — for money
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. row — a line
  16. last — finally
  17. bank — for money
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. last — final
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. court — of a king
  22. row — to paddle
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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