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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.

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: calf · clip · bowl · bark · mouse · net · fan · suit

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. net — in sport
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. bark — to shout
  7. net — after costs
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. suit — to fit
  10. clip — for paper
  11. net — for catching
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. clip — a video
  14. suit — clothes
  15. suit — in cards
  16. clip — to cut
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. bowl — a dish

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