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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. track — to keep track
  4. net — after costs
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. bank — for money
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. track — a song
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. band — a music group
  13. kick — in football
  14. net — in sport
  15. net — for catching
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. cap — a hat
  18. band — a ring
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. cap — of ice
  21. bank — of a river
  22. track — a path
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. bank — for money

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