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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. deal — to handle
  9. bear — the animal
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. tube — a container
  12. bank — for money
  13. tube — the underground
  14. bank — of a river
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. bank — for money
  17. march — music
  18. bear — the animal
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. march — the month
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. march — the month
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. straw — a straw man

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