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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. net — for catching
  3. land — ground
  4. pop — soda
  5. scale — in music
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. pop — music
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. can — a tin
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. net — after costs
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. can — a tin
  16. pop — to visit
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. scale — size or range
  20. land — to come down
  21. land — a country
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. net — in sport
  24. can — to be able to

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