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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: date · plane · calf · wind · ruler · cap · net · can

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. wind — moving air
  3. cap — of ice
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. net — in sport
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. net — after costs
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. date — the fruit
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. plane — a tool
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. wind — moving air
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. can — a tin
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. net — for catching
  20. can — a tin
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. can — to be able to
  23. cap — a hat
  24. calf — of the leg

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