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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. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. bass — the fish
  8. foot — a measure
  9. wake — a trail
  10. sharp — clever
  11. bass — low music
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. can — a tin
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. can — a tin
  19. wind — moving air
  20. can — to be able to
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. dip — to sink

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