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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. pitch — completely
  3. bank — for money
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. key — for a lock
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. sharp — clever
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. wake — a trail
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. key — in music
  21. key — the most important part
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. bank — of a river
  24. bank — for money

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