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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: bark · tube · staff · hand · mouse · calf · firm · net

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. firm — decided
  4. hand — help
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. staff — employees
  8. firm — steady
  9. staff — employees
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. firm — a company
  13. net — after costs
  14. tube — a container
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. net — in sport
  18. tube — the underground
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. hand — in cards
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. net — for catching
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. bark — to shout

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