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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. dip — to sink
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. snap — to click
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. toast — bread
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. bay — a part of the sea

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