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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. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. bank — for money
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. bank — of a river
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. face — to point toward
  11. pass — a permit
  12. present — there
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bank — for money
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. present — the time now
  18. field — for sport
  19. present — a gift
  20. field — a subject
  21. face — to confront
  22. face — part of the head
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. calf — of the leg

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