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

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. bound — tied together
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. rock — music
  5. row — a line
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. can — to be able to
  8. row — to paddle
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. bound — obliged
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. rock — a stone
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. net — in sport
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. net — after costs
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bound — certain
  21. can — a tin
  22. can — a tin
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. net — for catching

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