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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. plane — a tool
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. clip — to cut
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. clip — a video
  9. can — a tin
  10. clip — for paper
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. dip — to sink
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. can — a tin
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. pitcher — a jug

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