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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. dip — to sink
  3. bank — of a river
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. prune — to trim
  7. bark — to shout
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. march — the month
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. bank — for money
  13. prune — to trim
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bank — for money
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. march — the month
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. march — music

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