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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  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. net — for catching
  2. row — to paddle
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. bank — for money
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. tube — a container
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. mark — a trace
  10. row — a line
  11. tube — the underground
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bank — of a river
  14. net — in sport
  15. spell — letters
  16. spell — a short time
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. firm — decided
  19. spell — magic
  20. mark — a grade
  21. firm — a company
  22. net — after costs
  23. firm — steady
  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