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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.

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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: net · calf · deal · club · racket · ground · wax · bank

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. net — after costs
  3. deal — to handle
  4. bank — for money
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. wax — to grow
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. club — a group
  10. ground — crushed
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. net — in sport
  13. bank — for money
  14. club — for dancing
  15. bank — of a river
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. ground — a position
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. club — for golf
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. net — for catching
  24. ground — the earth

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