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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. fall — to drop
  5. dip — to sink
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. cell — in biology
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. roll — a cake
  11. fall — to drop
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. kick — in football
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. cell — a phone
  16. fall — the season
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. drill — a practice
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. roll — a list
  21. drill — army training
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. pass — a permit
  24. dip — to dunk

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