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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. mate — to breed
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. lean — to bend
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. root — of a word
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. lean — thin
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. net — after costs
  13. dip — to sink
  14. net — for catching
  15. root — the cause
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. mate — a partner
  22. mate — a friend
  23. net — in sport
  24. root — of a plant

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