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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. pit — a hole
  4. bark — to shout
  5. sharp — clever
  6. bank — for money
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. fall — the season
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. craft — a skill
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. bank — of a river
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. bank — for money
  19. pit — in a race
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. craft — boats
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. fall — to drop

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