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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. pound — a weight
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. object — an aim
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. content — happy
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. dip — to sink
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. object — a thing
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. content — the amount
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. pound — for dogs

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