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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 120 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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. bank — of a river
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. row — a line
  8. spell — magic
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. bank — for money
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. cue — a hint
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. cue — a signal
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. spell — letters
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. row — to paddle
  21. bark — to shout
  22. chair — a leader
  23. bank — for money
  24. spell — a short time

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