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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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. bank — of a river
  7. wound — an injury
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. bank — for money
  13. branch — a division
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. wound — an injury
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. vault — a safe
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. bank — for money

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