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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 124 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 didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. bank — for money
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. suit — clothes
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bass — low music
  9. bank — for money
  10. cold — an illness
  11. wake — a trail
  12. bass — the fish
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. bank — of a river
  15. suit — to fit
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. stem — to come from
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. bulb — for light
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. cold — not warm
  24. suit — in cards

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