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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: pop · racket · nail · calf · spring · game · mate · fork

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. fork — in a road
  3. mate — a partner
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. pop — soda
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. pop — music
  11. spring — a coil
  12. spring — the season
  13. spring — of water
  14. mate — a friend
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. game — a match
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. pop — to visit
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. mate — to breed

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