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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 · pitcher · net · dip · bark · roll · bowl · bay

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. dip — to sink
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. bark — to shout
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. net — after costs
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. net — in sport
  16. roll — a list
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. net — for catching
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. roll — a cake
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. pitcher — a jug

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