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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: foot · net · calf · pitcher · roll · pound · toast · mate

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  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. pitcher — a jug
  2. foot — a measure
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. mate — a partner
  6. mate — to breed
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. pound — a weight
  11. net — in sport
  12. toast — bread
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. mate — a friend
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. net — after costs
  18. roll — a list
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. roll — a cake
  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