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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. ground — the earth
  3. bank — for money
  4. cap — of ice
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. cap — a lid
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. cap — a hat
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. ground — a position
  14. rush — hurry
  15. bank — for money
  16. perch — the fish
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bank — of a river
  19. snap — to click
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. ground — crushed
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. fan — a supporter

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