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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 116 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: wound · ground · rock · tube · net · pit · stick · calf

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. ground — crushed
  3. tube — a container
  4. net — in sport
  5. wound — an injury
  6. net — for catching
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. rock — music
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. ground — the earth
  15. pit — a hole
  16. tube — the underground
  17. pit — in a race
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. wound — an injury
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. net — after costs
  24. ground — a position

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