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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. bank — of a river
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. deal — to handle
  5. cue — a signal
  6. roll — a cake
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. cue — a hint
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. cue — for pool
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. net — for catching
  16. bank — for money
  17. net — in sport
  18. net — after costs
  19. roll — a list
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. bank — for money
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. roll — on a roll

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