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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: calf · can · wake · suit · saw · date · snap · bark

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. can — to be able to
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. snap — to click
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. can — a tin
  8. suit — clothes
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. suit — in cards
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. bark — to shout
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. saw — the tool
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. suit — to fit
  20. wake — a trail
  21. can — a tin
  22. saw — the tool
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. date — the fruit

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