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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. bass — the fish
  3. object — an aim
  4. prune — to trim
  5. drill — a practice
  6. drill — the tool
  7. net — in sport
  8. object — to protest
  9. cap — of ice
  10. can — a tin
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. bass — low music
  13. cap — a lid
  14. can — a tin
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. object — a thing
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. net — for catching
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. prune — to trim
  21. drill — army training
  22. can — to be able to
  23. cap — a hat
  24. net — after costs

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