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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 took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  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. can — a tin
  3. rest — what's left
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. cold — an illness
  8. can — a tin
  9. last — finally
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. cold — not warm
  12. squash — to crush
  13. rest — a break
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. current — happening now
  16. current — of water
  17. current — electric
  18. squash — the sport
  19. last — to go on
  20. net — in sport
  21. rest — what's left
  22. last — final
  23. net — after costs
  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