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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. field — a subject
  3. field — farmland
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. dip — to sink
  7. rash — a series
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. bound — tied together
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. rash — hasty
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. bound — certain
  17. bank — of a river
  18. bound — obliged
  19. bank — for money
  20. rest — a break
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. rest — what's left
  23. bank — for money
  24. field — for sport

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