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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — for money
  6. spell — a short time
  7. fork — in a road
  8. spell — letters
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. prune — to trim
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. prune — to trim
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. rush — hurry
  20. spell — magic
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. bank — of a river
  24. calf — a young animal

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