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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. dip — to sink
  3. squash — the sport
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. branch — a division
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. squash — to crush
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. snap — to click
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. leaves — lets stay

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