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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. net — after costs
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. net — in sport
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. pitch — completely
  7. bulb — for light
  8. shower — to wash
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. bulb — for light
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. fine — high quality
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. net — for catching
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. wax — to grow
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. shower — rain
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. fine — all right

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