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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: snap · face · calf · toast · bank · rush · wind · spring

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. toast — bread
  3. spring — the season
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. spring — of water
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. wind — moving air
  10. bank — for money
  11. face — part of the head
  12. wind — moving air
  13. bank — for money
  14. bank — of a river
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. snap — to click
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. face — to point toward
  20. rush — hurry
  21. spring — a coil
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. face — to confront

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