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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. kick — in football
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. can — a tin
  11. tube — a container
  12. can — to be able to
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. can — a tin
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. pound — a weight

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