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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. chair — a leader
  8. wind — moving air
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. bank — for money
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. squash — the sport
  18. squash — to crush
  19. bank — of a river
  20. bark — to shout
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. wind — moving air
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. bank — for money

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