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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.

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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: saw · kick · net · bear · last · object · can · club

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. club — for dancing
  3. net — for catching
  4. object — a thing
  5. object — to protest
  6. kick — in football
  7. saw — the tool
  8. can — to be able to
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. can — a tin
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bear — the animal
  15. saw — the tool
  16. last — to go on
  17. object — an aim
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. net — in sport
  20. club — for golf
  21. last — finally
  22. net — after costs
  23. can — a tin
  24. last — final

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