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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 · rash · bank · cabinet · content · lean · march · wound

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. lean — to bend
  3. rash — a series
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. march — the month
  7. bank — for money
  8. march — the month
  9. lean — thin
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. march — music
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bank — of a river
  16. content — the amount
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. bank — for money
  20. wound — an injury
  21. content — happy
  22. wound — an injury
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. rash — hasty

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