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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'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. bank — for money
  9. branch — a division
  10. net — for catching
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. sharp — clever
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. bank — of a river
  22. net — in sport
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. net — after costs

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