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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. bark — to shout
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. fall — to drop
  5. rest — what's left
  6. fall — the season
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. bank — for money
  10. bank — for money
  11. net — for catching
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. kick — in football
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. pitch — completely
  17. bank — of a river
  18. net — after costs
  19. rest — a break
  20. net — in sport
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. fall — to drop
  24. kick — a thrill

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