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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: stand · spell · calf · mug · net · tube · face · club

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. net — in sport
  3. stand — to bear
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. net — for catching
  6. face — to confront
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. mug — a cup
  9. spell — letters
  10. club — for dancing
  11. mug — to rob
  12. spell — a short time
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. tube — the underground
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. face — to point toward
  18. face — part of the head
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. spell — magic
  21. tube — a container
  22. club — for golf
  23. mug — a face
  24. net — after costs

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