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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 · staff · net · coach · pound · leaves · perch · hide

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. net — after costs
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. net — in sport
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. staff — employees
  17. perch — the fish
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. staff — a stick
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. pound — a weight
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. staff — employees

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