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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. bank — for money
  4. key — in music
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. bank — for money
  10. fall — to drop
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. key — the most important part
  13. mark — a grade
  14. fall — to drop
  15. key — for a lock
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. mark — a trace
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. bank — of a river
  23. snap — to click
  24. fall — the season

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