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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'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. ground — a position
  3. ground — the earth
  4. cue — for pool
  5. mug — to rob
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. land — ground
  9. mug — a face
  10. cue — a signal
  11. mug — a cup
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. land — a country
  14. bank — for money
  15. land — to come down
  16. ground — crushed
  17. spring — the season
  18. stand — to bear
  19. spring — of water
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. spring — a coil
  22. bank — of a river
  23. calf — of the leg
  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