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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  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. calf — a young animal
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. branch — a division
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. bank — for money
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. pass — a permit
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. bat — the animal
  22. bank — for money
  23. foot — a measure
  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