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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. net — in sport
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. bear — the animal
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. ball — a dance
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. branch — a division
  17. ball — a great time
  18. net — for catching
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. net — after costs
  24. ruler — a monarch

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