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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 giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. craft — boats
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. spell — magic
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. craft — a skill
  11. pound — a weight
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. saw — the tool
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. spell — letters
  16. chair — a leader
  17. spell — a short time
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. saw — the tool
  24. stand — to bear

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