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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. game — a match
  6. key — the most important part
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. bear — the animal
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. game — wild animals
  11. bear — the animal
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. net — in sport
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. key — for a lock
  18. tube — the underground
  19. key — in music
  20. tube — a container
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. net — for catching
  24. net — after costs

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