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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: rock · last · calf · hide · roll · track · lie · bank

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. rock — music
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. last — finally
  10. lie — to recline
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. last — to go on
  13. bank — for money
  14. roll — a cake
  15. bank — of a river
  16. track — a path
  17. last — final
  18. track — a song
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bank — for money
  21. roll — a list
  22. track — to keep track
  23. rock — a stone
  24. hide — to keep secret

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