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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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. mark — a grade
  3. deal — to handle
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. bank — for money
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. wound — an injury
  9. mark — a trace
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. plane — a tool
  13. wound — an injury
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. bank — of a river
  16. mine — for digging
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. chip — to eat
  19. bank — for money
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. chip — for betting
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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