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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. bulb — for light
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bat — the animal
  8. roll — a cake
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. bear — the animal
  11. deal — to handle
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. roll — a list
  17. bear — the animal
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. sharp — clever
  24. calf — a young animal

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