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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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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: calf · rush · bulb · can · deal · pitcher · sharp · fine

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. bulb — for light
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — a tin
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. fine — all right
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. rush — hurry
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. can — to be able to
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. fine — high quality
  22. sharp — clever
  23. deal — to handle
  24. bulb — for light

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