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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 120 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 got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bank — of a river
  4. cap — of ice
  5. fine — all right
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. cap — a lid
  9. bank — for money
  10. root — of a plant
  11. fine — high quality
  12. staff — employees
  13. ball — a dance
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. root — of a word
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. staff — employees
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. staff — a stick
  20. root — the cause
  21. ball — a great time
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. cap — a hat
  24. bank — for money

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