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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. bear — the animal
  5. pound — a weight
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. ground — the earth
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. branch — a division
  13. pit — a hole
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. pit — in a race
  17. court — of law
  18. ground — crushed
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. court — of a king
  21. bear — the animal
  22. court — for sport
  23. ground — a position
  24. branch — of a tree

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