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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: pop · pitcher · calf · cabinet · snap · squash · perch · trunk

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. pop — music
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. pop — to visit
  8. squash — to crush
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. snap — to click
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. perch — the fish
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. pop — soda

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