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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: deal · firm · tube · calf · net · pop · jam · wake

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  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. pop — music
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. net — after costs
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. firm — steady
  8. firm — a company
  9. pop — to visit
  10. tube — the underground
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. firm — decided
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. wake — a trail
  17. net — for catching
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. tube — a container
  20. deal — to handle
  21. pop — soda
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. jam — a tight spot
  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