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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 did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. spring — the season
  4. bank — of a river
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. bank — for money
  11. rule — a law
  12. spring — a coil
  13. rule — government
  14. prune — to trim
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. bank — for money
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. spring — of water
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. chair — a leader
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. prune — to trim

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