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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 116 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: hand · stick · rest · rock · pop · pitcher · calf · cap

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. pop — to visit
  5. rock — a stone
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. pop — music
  9. rest — a break
  10. pop — soda
  11. cap — of ice
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. cap — a hat
  16. rest — what's left
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. rock — music
  19. cap — a lid
  20. hand — in cards
  21. rest — what's left
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. hand — help

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