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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: hand · land · hide · bank · bass · calf · lie · staff

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  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 — a young animal
  2. bank — of a river
  3. land — a country
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. staff — employees
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. bank — for money
  8. bank — for money
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. bass — the fish
  13. hand — in cards
  14. staff — employees
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. bass — low music
  17. staff — a stick
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. hand — help
  20. land — ground
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. lie — to recline
  23. land — to come down
  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