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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 116 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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bear — the animal
  4. fine — high quality
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. net — for catching
  11. cap — of ice
  12. net — in sport
  13. cap — a lid
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. fine — all right
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. bark — to shout
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. net — after costs
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. fork — in a road
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. cap — a hat

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