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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: calf · bark · wave · fork · can · hand · foot · pitch

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. bark — to shout
  3. pitch — completely
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. can — a tin
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. fork — in a road
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. can — to be able to
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. can — a tin
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. hand — in cards
  20. hand — help
  21. foot — a measure
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. calf — of the leg

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