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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 120 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 had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. row — to paddle
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. club — for dancing
  5. scale — in music
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. scale — size or range
  10. can — to be able to
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. can — a tin
  13. row — a line
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. branch — a division
  18. can — a tin
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. bark — to shout
  21. snap — to click
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. club — a group
  24. club — for golf

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