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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. clip — to cut
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. kick — in football
  8. stand — to bear
  9. season — of the year
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. season — in sport
  12. bank — for money
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. bank — of a river
  15. craft — boats
  16. clip — a video
  17. clip — for paper
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. craft — a skill
  22. bank — for money
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. mouse — the animal

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