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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: row · fork · net · club · can · trunk · calf · file

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. row — a line
  4. file — a line of people
  5. club — for golf
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. fork — in a road
  8. can — to be able to
  9. file — a tool
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. row — to paddle
  12. club — a group
  13. net — after costs
  14. file — a document
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. can — a tin
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. net — for catching
  22. club — for dancing
  23. can — a tin
  24. net — in sport

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