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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. craft — a skill
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. bank — for money
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. bank — of a river
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. fork — in a road
  13. rule — government
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. perch — the fish
  16. capital — a city
  17. capital — money
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. rule — a law
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. craft — boats

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