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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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. land — to come down
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. bank — of a river
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bank — for money
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. fall — the season
  13. bark — to shout
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. fall — to drop
  19. bank — for money
  20. land — a country
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. fall — to drop

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