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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 120 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 protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. cap — a lid
  3. cap — of ice
  4. mate — a partner
  5. tube — a container
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. key — the most important part
  8. bank — of a river
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. key — in music
  11. mate — a friend
  12. cap — a hat
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. mate — to breed
  19. bank — for money
  20. key — for a lock
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. bank — for money
  23. tube — the underground
  24. arm — a part of something

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