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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
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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: pound · date · calf · bulb · club · mark · hide · tube

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. tube — a container
  4. tube — the underground
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. mark — a grade
  8. date — the fruit
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. club — a group
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. club — for golf
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. club — for dancing
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. bulb — for light
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. pound — a weight
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. bulb — for light
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. mark — a trace
  24. date — on the calendar

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