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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. track — a path
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. rush — hurry
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. board — to get on
  8. track — to keep track
  9. cap — a lid
  10. cap — a hat
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. track — a song
  13. object — a thing
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. dip — to sink
  18. board — a committee
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. cap — of ice
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. object — an aim
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. calf — a young animal

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