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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: firm · calf · bank · face · land · bore · stand · snap

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. snap — to click
  3. face — part of the head
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. land — to come down
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. bank — for money
  9. bore — to tire
  10. firm — decided
  11. stand — to bear
  12. firm — steady
  13. face — to confront
  14. face — to point toward
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. land — ground
  18. bank — of a river
  19. firm — a company
  20. bank — for money
  21. bore — to drill
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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