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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · wave · branch · spring · mark · bear · cap · hide

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. branch — a division
  4. cap — of ice
  5. bear — the animal
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. cap — a hat
  10. spring — a coil
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. spring — of water
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. spring — the season
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. mark — a trace
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. cap — a lid
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. mark — a grade
  24. bear — the 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