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

Word bank: wave · rest · perch · nail · snap · mug · calf · net

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. rest — what's left
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. rest — what's left
  6. mug — to rob
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. net — after costs
  11. mug — a face
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. snap — to click
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. net — for catching
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. rest — a break
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. perch — the fish
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. net — in sport
  23. mug — a cup
  24. nail — for a hammer

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