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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — of a river
  4. game — wild animals
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. game — a match
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. pass — a permit
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. pass — to spend time

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