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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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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: band · saw · dip · object · kick · calf · rest · bank

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. object — an aim
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. saw — the tool
  9. dip — to sink
  10. object — to protest
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. bank — for money
  14. rest — what's left
  15. kick — in football
  16. saw — the tool
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. band — a music group
  19. bank — of a river
  20. band — a ring
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rest — a break
  23. object — a thing
  24. bank — for money

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