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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: calf · pound · arm · bank · object · last · squash · wake

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. bank — of a river
  6. last — finally
  7. pound — a weight
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. squash — the sport
  10. last — to go on
  11. squash — to crush
  12. wake — a trail
  13. last — final
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. bank — for money
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. bank — for money
  21. object — an aim
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. object — a thing
  24. object — to protest

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