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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. wind — moving air
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. deal — to handle
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. sharp — clever
  7. face — to confront
  8. bank — for money
  9. wind — moving air
  10. suit — in cards
  11. face — to point toward
  12. face — part of the head
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. toast — bread
  15. bank — for money
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. suit — clothes
  21. bank — of a river
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. suit — to fit
  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