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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 116 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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. bank — of a river
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. bank — for money
  10. ball — a dance
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. bank — for money
  15. cue — a signal
  16. ball — a great time
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. cue — for pool
  22. plane — a tool
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. calf — a young animal

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