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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 took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. mate — to breed
  4. mate — a partner
  5. bank — for money
  6. net — after costs
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. mate — a friend
  11. rest — a break
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. rest — what's left
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. net — in sport
  17. bank — of a river
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. rest — what's left
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. lie — to recline
  22. bank — for money
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. lie — an untruth

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