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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 met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. prune — to trim
  4. bank — for money
  5. rock — music
  6. bank — of a river
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. bank — for money
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. prune — to trim
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. wake — a trail
  19. rock — a stone
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. foot — a measure
  22. mine — for digging
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. calf — of the leg

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