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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.

Make a worksheet

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: drill · staff · wave · row · net · tube · perch · calf

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. drill — army training
  5. net — after costs
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. net — in sport
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. drill — the tool
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. tube — the underground
  14. staff — employees
  15. drill — a practice
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. staff — employees
  18. row — to paddle
  19. perch — the fish
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. row — a line
  22. tube — a container
  23. net — for catching
  24. staff — a stick

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