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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 · wound · cap · pitcher · deal · scale · net · staff

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. cap — of ice
  4. scale — in music
  5. net — in sport
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. scale — size or range
  9. deal — to handle
  10. net — for catching
  11. net — after costs
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. wound — an injury
  14. wound — an injury
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. staff — employees
  19. staff — employees
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. cap — a lid
  24. cap — a hat

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