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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. bank — for money
  3. bound — tied together
  4. bank — of a river
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bound — certain
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. fork — in a road
  12. bank — for money
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. plane — a tool
  18. dip — to sink
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. bound — obliged
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. fork — a garden tool

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