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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: fine · object · cold · calf · mug · rock · rush · bank

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. mug — to rob
  3. bank — for money
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. mug — a face
  7. fine — all right
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. fine — high quality
  13. object — to protest
  14. rush — hurry
  15. bank — for money
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. cold — not warm
  18. rock — a stone
  19. bank — of a river
  20. rock — music
  21. object — an aim
  22. cold — an illness
  23. object — a thing
  24. cold — the Cold War

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