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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. pop — to visit
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. pop — soda
  7. bore — to tire
  8. plane — a tool
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. lean — to bend
  13. wound — an injury
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. bank — for money
  16. bore — to drill
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. bank — of a river
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. wound — an injury
  21. pop — music
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. lean — thin

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