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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 116 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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  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. pass — to succeed
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. perch — the fish
  9. face — to confront
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. bank — for money
  14. pass — a permit
  15. bank — for money
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. face — to point toward
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. face — part of the head
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. branch — a division
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  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