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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 ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. net — after costs
  8. bank — of a river
  9. net — for catching
  10. stand — to bear
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. bank — for money
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. bat — the animal
  20. bank — for money
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. net — in sport
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. stand — for spectators

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