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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 116 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 protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. bound — tied together
  3. bank — for money
  4. bank — of a river
  5. bound — certain
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. bound — obliged
  11. game — a match
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. game — wild animals
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. bank — for money
  19. ball — a dance
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. ball — a great time
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. chair — a leader

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