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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.

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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 · kid · hide · bowl · club · net · fine · calf

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. last — final
  4. net — for catching
  5. net — in sport
  6. kid — child
  7. last — finally
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. fine — high quality
  13. fine — all right
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. kid — to tease
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. net — after costs
  19. club — for dancing
  20. club — for golf
  21. club — a group
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. last — to go on

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