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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. hand — in cards
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. bank — of a river
  8. bank — for money
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. can — a tin
  13. branch — a division
  14. hand — help
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. can — to be able to
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. pitch — completely
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. mine — for digging
  24. bank — for money

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