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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. game — a match
  8. pit — in a race
  9. bank — for money
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. face — part of the head
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bank — for money
  14. game — wild animals
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. mark — a trace
  17. face — to point toward
  18. pit — a hole
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. bank — of a river
  21. mark — a grade
  22. face — to confront
  23. stand — to bear
  24. stand — for spectators

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