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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 giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. field — for sport
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. field — farmland
  5. firm — steady
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. firm — a company
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. date — the fruit
  12. land — ground
  13. bank — of a river
  14. hand — in cards
  15. bank — for money
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. land — to come down
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. bank — for money
  21. land — a country
  22. hand — help
  23. firm — decided
  24. field — a subject

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