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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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Word bank
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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  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. spell — a short time
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. branch — a division
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. game — a match
  10. spell — letters
  11. spell — magic
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. game — wild animals
  14. kick — in football
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. kick — a thrill
  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