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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.

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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: leaves · mug · calf · can · hide · mate · land · bat

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. mug — a cup
  3. mate — to breed
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. can — a tin
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. mate — a partner
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. mate — a friend
  11. mug — to rob
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. land — a country
  15. bat — the animal
  16. can — to be able to
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. land — ground
  22. land — to come down
  23. mug — a face
  24. bat — in an idiom

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