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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: land · pitcher · calf · sharp · suit · bay · mouse · band

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. suit — clothes
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. band — a music group
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. land — to come down
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. suit — to fit
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. sharp — clever
  19. suit — in cards
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. land — ground
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. band — a ring

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