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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  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. hide — to keep secret
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. scale — size or range
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. branch — a division
  9. bat — the animal
  10. lean — to bend
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. suit — clothes
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. scale — in music
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. lean — thin
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. suit — to fit
  23. suit — in cards
  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