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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. cap — a lid
  3. bat — the animal
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bank — for money
  7. court — of law
  8. court — of a king
  9. cap — a hat
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. cap — of ice
  12. plane — a tool
  13. pop — to visit
  14. branch — a division
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. bank — for money
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. court — for sport
  20. pop — music
  21. bank — of a river
  22. pop — soda
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. branch — of a tree

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