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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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. bank — of a river
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. bank — for money
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. bank — for money
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. stand — to bear
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. coach — a trainer

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