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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 116 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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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: bank · calf · kick · mark · wound · wake · craft · chair

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. bank — for money
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. wound — an injury
  5. craft — boats
  6. kick — in football
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. wake — a trail
  9. wound — an injury
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. mark — a grade
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. bank — of a river
  15. craft — a skill
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. bank — for money
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. chair — a leader
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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