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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: calf · bay · fork · tear · bank · trunk

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. bank — for money
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. tear — from crying
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. bank — for money
  10. bank — of a river
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. fork — in a road
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. tear — from crying
  18. tear — to rip

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