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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 120 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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. bank — for money
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. craft — boats
  8. bank — for money
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. mark — a grade
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. squash — to crush
  14. prune — to trim
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. squash — the sport
  19. prune — to trim
  20. mark — a trace
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. craft — a skill

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