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

Word bank: bank · mouse · stand · kick · fork · calf

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. stand — to bear
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. bank — for money
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. fork — in a road
  9. bank — of a river
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. bank — for money
  16. kick — in football
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. stand — on your feet

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