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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. saw — the tool
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pass — a permit
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. bank — of a river
  11. cue — a hint
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. bank — for money
  16. cue — a signal
  17. saw — the tool
  18. wake — a trail
  19. bank — for money
  20. wound — an injury
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. wound — an injury
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. cue — for pool

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