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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 · pit · squash · clip · net · tube · dip · pound

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. pit — a hole
  3. clip — a video
  4. pound — a weight
  5. tube — a container
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. clip — for paper
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. tube — the underground
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. net — in sport
  13. dip — to sink
  14. squash — the sport
  15. pit — in a race
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. squash — to crush
  19. net — after costs
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. clip — to cut

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