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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: calf · lean · can · club · fine · hide · pitcher · pop

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — to be able to
  4. pop — to visit
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. lean — thin
  7. club — for golf
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. fine — all right
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. club — a group
  13. club — for dancing
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. can — a tin
  16. lean — to bend
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pop — music
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. pop — soda
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. fine — high quality

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