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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. pass — a permit
  3. bark — to shout
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. cue — a hint
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. staff — employees
  8. bank — of a river
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. staff — employees
  12. cue — a signal
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. tear — from crying
  15. pound — a weight
  16. tear — from crying
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. bank — for money
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. cue — for pool
  22. tear — to rip
  23. staff — a stick
  24. pass — to spend time

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