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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. bank — for money
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. bank — of a river
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. rash — hasty
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. cell — in biology
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. rash — a series
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. hand — help
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. hand — in cards
  18. cell — a phone
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. bank — for money
  23. dip — to sink
  24. coach — a trainer

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