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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. object — an aim
  3. object — to protest
  4. shower — rain
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. cold — an illness
  7. cold — not warm
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. object — a thing
  10. pound — a weight
  11. bank — of a river
  12. shower — to wash
  13. suit — clothes
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. suit — in cards
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. suit — to fit
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. bark — to shout
  22. bank — for money
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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