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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. row — to paddle
  3. bank — for money
  4. club — for golf
  5. file — a tool
  6. bank — for money
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. bear — the animal
  9. club — for dancing
  10. bank — of a river
  11. fall — to drop
  12. bear — the animal
  13. file — a line of people
  14. content — happy
  15. content — the amount
  16. file — a document
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. fall — the season
  20. club — a group
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. fall — to drop
  23. row — a line
  24. bear — to put up with

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