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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. bank — of a river
  6. roll — a cake
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. pop — music
  12. pop — to visit
  13. can — to be able to
  14. dip — to sink
  15. can — a tin
  16. can — a tin
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. pop — soda
  20. bank — for money
  21. roll — a list
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. bank — for money

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