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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: mate · bat · suit · calf · wind · pit · drill · bank

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. bank — for money
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. drill — the tool
  5. wind — moving air
  6. mate — a friend
  7. mate — to breed
  8. suit — to fit
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. bank — for money
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. suit — in cards
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. drill — army training
  15. wind — moving air
  16. suit — clothes
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. bank — of a river
  19. pit — in a race
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. bat — the animal
  22. drill — a practice
  23. pit — a hole
  24. mate — a partner

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