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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 had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. bank — for money
  5. cap — a lid
  6. ball — a great time
  7. saw — the tool
  8. cap — of ice
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. net — after costs
  11. net — in sport
  12. cap — a hat
  13. saw — the tool
  14. bear — the animal
  15. net — for catching
  16. degree — an amount
  17. degree — from a university
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. bank — for money
  20. bear — the animal
  21. degree — temperature
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. ball — a dance
  24. bank — of a river

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