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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 120 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: game · object · scale · bear · kick · hand · net · calf

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. bear — the animal
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. object — an aim
  7. game — a match
  8. object — a thing
  9. net — in sport
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. scale — in music
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. bear — the animal
  16. hand — in cards
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. scale — size or range
  20. hand — help
  21. net — after costs
  22. object — to protest
  23. kick — in football
  24. net — for catching

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