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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.

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: mug · net · calf · object · pitcher · race · perch · snap

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. race — a contest
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. net — after costs
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. object — to protest
  11. race — the arms race
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. object — an aim
  15. object — a thing
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. snap — to click
  18. mug — a cup
  19. mug — to rob
  20. race — humankind
  21. net — for catching
  22. net — in sport
  23. mug — a face
  24. perch — the fish

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