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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: last · calf · dip · cap · track · net · pound · stand

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. cap — of ice
  3. dip — to sink
  4. last — finally
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. track — a song
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. cap — a lid
  10. stand — to bear
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. track — to keep track
  13. net — in sport
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. net — after costs
  16. cap — a hat
  17. track — a path
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. last — final
  20. last — to go on
  21. pound — a weight
  22. net — for catching
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. stand — for spectators

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