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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 ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. spring — a coil
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. pitch — completely
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. spring — the season
  9. saw — the tool
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. dip — to sink
  17. stem — to come from
  18. saw — the tool
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. spring — of water

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