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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. land — to come down
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. bank — of a river
  6. cell — in biology
  7. tube — the underground
  8. firm — decided
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. cell — a phone
  11. land — ground
  12. pitch — completely
  13. bank — for money
  14. land — a country
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. bank — for money
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. firm — steady
  20. firm — a company
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. wake — a trail

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