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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: bulb · calf · firm · cabinet · wake · cap · mark · net

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. cap — a lid
  6. firm — steady
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. bulb — for light
  11. mark — a grade
  12. cap — a hat
  13. cap — of ice
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. firm — decided
  16. net — in sport
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. mark — a trace
  19. bulb — for light
  20. firm — a company
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. net — after costs
  24. wake — a trail

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