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

Word bank: fine · calf · bay · bank · patient · bark

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. fine — high quality
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. bank — for money
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. fine — all right
  12. bank — of a river
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. bark — to shout
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. 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