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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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. kid — to tease
  3. bank — for money
  4. bank — of a river
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. kid — child
  7. face — to confront
  8. face — part of the head
  9. bank — for money
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. object — to protest
  12. bore — to tire
  13. object — a thing
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. face — to point toward
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. bore — to drill
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. bark — to shout
  24. object — an aim

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