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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 116 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 ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. drill — a practice
  3. board — to get on
  4. cue — a signal
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. track — a path
  7. track — a song
  8. drill — army training
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. board — a committee
  11. cue — for pool
  12. tear — from crying
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. track — to keep track
  15. drill — the tool
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. cue — a hint
  18. tear — to rip
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. dip — to sink
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. tear — from crying
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. dip — to dunk

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