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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  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. net — for catching
  2. net — in sport
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. cap — a hat
  5. cap — of ice
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. wound — an injury
  9. wound — an injury
  10. kick — in football
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. net — after costs
  14. cap — a lid
  15. can — a tin
  16. season — of the year
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. season — in sport
  21. can — a tin
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. calf — a young animal
  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