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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 120 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
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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: net · mate · rest · game · calf · kick · wax · mouse

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. net — for catching
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mate — to breed
  7. net — in sport
  8. mate — a friend
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. kick — in football
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. game — a match
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. rest — what's left
  16. mate — a partner
  17. rest — a break
  18. net — after costs
  19. wax — to grow
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. rest — what's left
  22. game — wild animals
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. wax — in the ear

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