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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bank — for money
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. ball — a great time
  5. mine — for digging
  6. can — to be able to
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. plane — a tool
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — a tin
  12. mark — a grade
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. ball — a dance
  19. bank — of a river
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. kick — in football
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. mark — a trace

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