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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bank — for money
  4. fine — high quality
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. fine — all right
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. bank — of a river
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. wake — a trail
  13. stand — to bear
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. stem — to come from
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. bank — for money
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. arm — part of the body

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