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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. firm — a company
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. bank — for money
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. bank — for money
  11. bark — to shout
  12. wound — an injury
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. bank — of a river
  15. firm — decided
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. roll — a list
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. roll — a cake
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. wound — an injury
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. roll — on a roll

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