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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
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: game · kick · spell · pitcher · stick · leaves · can · calf

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. spell — letters
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. spell — magic
  12. can — a tin
  13. game — a match
  14. can — a tin
  15. kick — in football
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. can — to be able to
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. game — wild animals
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. pitcher — a jug

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