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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 120 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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. branch — a division
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. mine — for digging
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. racket — for tennis

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