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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: kick · staff · spring · saw · can · mate · deal · net

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. saw — the tool
  3. net — for catching
  4. mate — to breed
  5. mate — a friend
  6. staff — a stick
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. can — to be able to
  10. can — a tin
  11. net — after costs
  12. spring — the season
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. kick — in football
  15. deal — to handle
  16. spring — a coil
  17. net — in sport
  18. staff — employees
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. staff — employees
  22. spring — of water
  23. mate — a partner
  24. saw — the tool

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