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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 116 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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  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. suit — in cards
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. bank — for money
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. sharp — clever
  6. bank — for money
  7. row — a line
  8. bank — of a river
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. chip — to eat
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. row — to paddle
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. suit — clothes
  16. mine — for digging
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. lie — to recline
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. chip — for betting
  22. suit — to fit
  23. chip — in a computer
  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