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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 120 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: cap · calf · hand · pitcher · club · pound · mate · rock

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. rock — a stone
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. mate — a partner
  6. cap — a hat
  7. hand — help
  8. hand — in cards
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. rock — music
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. mate — a friend
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. club — for dancing
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. mate — to breed
  18. club — a group
  19. club — for golf
  20. cap — a lid
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. pound — a weight
  24. cap — of ice

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