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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 ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. tear — from crying
  3. mug — a face
  4. bank — for money
  5. mug — a cup
  6. bank — for money
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. kick — in football
  9. mug — to rob
  10. wind — moving air
  11. wind — moving air
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. season — of the year
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. bank — of a river
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. tear — to rip
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. tear — from crying
  23. season — in sport
  24. wind — to turn a key

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