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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. shower — rain
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. bank — for money
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. craft — boats
  9. cold — an illness
  10. cold — the Cold War
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bank — for money
  13. craft — a skill
  14. cold — not warm
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. shower — to wash
  17. pass — a permit
  18. ball — a dance
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. bear — the animal
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. ball — a great time
  24. bear — the 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