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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  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. calf — a young animal
  2. craft — boats
  3. tear — from crying
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. root — of a plant
  6. club — for dancing
  7. cap — a hat
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. tear — to rip
  10. club — a group
  11. craft — a skill
  12. tear — from crying
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. cap — of ice
  15. bank — for money
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. cap — a lid
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. root — the cause
  20. bank — for money
  21. root — of a word
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. club — for golf
  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