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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. bank — for money
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. ball — a great time
  7. sharp — clever
  8. bank — for money
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. firm — decided
  13. bank — of a river
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. ball — a dance
  16. bound — certain
  17. bound — tied together
  18. firm — a company
  19. bound — obliged
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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