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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.

Make a worksheet

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: plane · spell · date · calf · bank · perch · wound · key

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. perch — the fish
  5. key — the most important part
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. spell — a short time
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. spell — letters
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. wound — an injury
  14. key — in music
  15. bank — for money
  16. date — the fruit
  17. bank — for money
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. spell — magic
  20. plane — a tool
  21. bank — of a river
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. key — for a lock
  24. wound — an injury

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