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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: calf · snap · tube · mark · suit · rock · pitcher · wound

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. suit — clothes
  3. rock — a stone
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. mark — a trace
  6. tube — the underground
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. wound — an injury
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. mark — a grade
  16. rock — music
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. tube — a container
  19. wound — an injury
  20. snap — to click
  21. suit — to fit
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. suit — in cards

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