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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: game · toast · fall · jam · bank · fine · coach · calf

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. game — wild animals
  4. fall — to drop
  5. fine — all right
  6. bank — for money
  7. fine — high quality
  8. game — a match
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. toast — bread
  12. bank — of a river
  13. fall — to drop
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. bank — for money
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. fall — the season
  24. coach — a trainer

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