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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 · can · pop · calf · bank · fall · pound · pitcher

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. present — a gift
  4. pop — soda
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. bank — for money
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. can — a tin
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. fall — the season
  12. present — there
  13. bank — for money
  14. bank — of a river
  15. can — a tin
  16. pop — music
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. fall — to drop
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. pound — a weight
  21. pop — to visit
  22. present — the time now
  23. can — to be able to
  24. fall — to drop

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