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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.

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: scale · can · mine · mate · snap · club · calf · bark

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. club — for golf
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. can — a tin
  7. mine — for digging
  8. mate — to breed
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. can — to be able to
  12. club — a group
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. bark — to shout
  15. mate — a friend
  16. scale — in music
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. scale — size or range
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. snap — to click
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. mate — a partner
  24. club — for dancing

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