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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 · rule · plane · stand · ball · row · bank · pass

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  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. ball — a great time
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. bank — for money
  5. rule — a law
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. bank — for money
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. pass — a permit
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. stand — to bear
  16. row — a line
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. ball — a dance
  20. rule — government
  21. plane — a tool
  22. row — to paddle
  23. plane — an aircraft
  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