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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 giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. bank — of a river
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. land — to come down
  6. mark — a grade
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. land — a country
  11. bank — for money
  12. bank — for money
  13. fine — high quality
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. fine — all right
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. mark — a trace
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. land — ground
  21. foot — a measure
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. calf — of the leg

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