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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: net · calf · fork · rule · tube · bulb · mouse · pitcher

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. net — after costs
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. net — in sport
  7. net — for catching
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. tube — a container
  10. tube — the underground
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. bulb — for light
  14. rule — government
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. rule — a law
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. bulb — for light
  20. fork — in a road
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. pitcher — a jug

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