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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 120 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: bat · net · rush · calf · plane · leaves · bank · stick

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. net — in sport
  7. plane — a tool
  8. net — for catching
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. bank — for money
  15. bat — the animal
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. rush — hurry
  18. bank — for money
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. net — after costs
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. bank — of a river

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