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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. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. bank — for money
  4. mug — a face
  5. bound — obliged
  6. bound — certain
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. mug — a cup
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. staff — employees
  11. staff — employees
  12. cold — not warm
  13. foot — a measure
  14. bound — tied together
  15. cold — an illness
  16. mug — to rob
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. lean — thin
  20. bank — for money
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. bank — of a river
  23. staff — a stick
  24. lean — to bend

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