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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. prune — to trim
  3. bank — for money
  4. swing — in golf
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. bank — of a river
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. swing — music
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. bound — certain
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. prune — to trim
  14. kick — in football
  15. bound — tied together
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. face — to confront
  18. bank — for money
  19. face — to point toward
  20. bound — obliged
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. swing — to play on
  24. calf — a young animal

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