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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. net — in sport
  5. squash — the sport
  6. saw — the tool
  7. wax — to grow
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. squash — to crush
  12. bank — of a river
  13. present — the time now
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. net — after costs
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. bank — for money
  20. bank — for money
  21. stand — to bear
  22. present — a gift
  23. saw — the tool
  24. present — there

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