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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. bank — for money
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. bark — to shout
  6. bank — of a river
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. bank — for money
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. ball — a great time
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. wind — moving air
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. chair — a leader
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. ball — a dance
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. wind — moving air
  23. fork — in a road
  24. chair — to sit on

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