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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. field — a subject
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. swing — to play on
  6. field — for sport
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. bank — of a river
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. bank — for money
  11. pitch — completely
  12. bank — for money
  13. swing — music
  14. ball — a dance
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. swing — in golf
  20. dip — to sink
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. field — farmland
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. ball — a great time

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