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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  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. lean — thin
  2. cue — for pool
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. cue — a hint
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. lean — to bend
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. bear — the animal
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. bank — for money
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. bank — for money
  19. cue — a signal
  20. bear — the animal
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. sharp — clever
  23. bank — of a river
  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