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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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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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. bear — the animal
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. wound — an injury
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. wound — an injury
  8. bear — the animal
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. object — a thing
  11. object — to protest
  12. dip — to sink
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. can — a tin
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. can — to be able to
  20. object — an aim
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. squash — the sport
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. can — a tin

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