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

Word bank: bank · lie · cold · bowl · calf · racket

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. cold — an illness
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. cold — not warm
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. bank — of a river
  10. bank — for money
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. lie — to recline
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. bank — for money
  18. lie — an untruth

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