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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. wind — moving air
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. tube — a container
  6. face — part of the head
  7. tube — the underground
  8. bank — for money
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. face — to confront
  11. plane — a tool
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. scale — size or range
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. bulb — for light
  17. face — to point toward
  18. scale — in music
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bank — of a river
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. wind — moving air

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