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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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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: club · can · calf · pound · snap · hide · deal · pitcher

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. club — for golf
  4. deal — to handle
  5. club — a group
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. club — for dancing
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. snap — to click
  17. pound — a weight
  18. can — to be able to
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. can — a tin
  24. hide — to keep secret

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