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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.

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: present · saw · can · bowl · object · leaves · calf · bark

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. present — there
  4. bark — to shout
  5. present — the time now
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. present — a gift
  10. saw — the tool
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. can — a tin
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. saw — the tool
  16. can — to be able to
  17. can — a tin
  18. object — to protest
  19. object — a thing
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. object — an aim
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. bark — of a tree

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