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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. mark — a trace
  3. row — to paddle
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. bank — for money
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. bank — of a river
  9. row — a line
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. cap — a lid
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. cap — a hat
  14. rash — hasty
  15. bank — for money
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. branch — a division
  18. pass — a permit
  19. rash — a series
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. mark — a grade
  23. cap — of ice
  24. pass — to spend time

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