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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: bank · fork · bore · calf · swing · net · can · straw

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at 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. net — for catching
  2. can — to be able to
  3. swing — in golf
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. fork — in a road
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. bank — for money
  10. swing — music
  11. bank — for money
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. net — after costs
  14. bore — to drill
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. bore — to tire
  17. can — a tin
  18. swing — to play on
  19. bank — of a river
  20. can — a tin
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  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