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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 like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. saw — the tool
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. mate — a friend
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. suit — in cards
  9. mate — a partner
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. mate — to breed
  16. dip — to sink
  17. foot — a measure
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. suit — to fit
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. suit — clothes
  24. saw — the tool

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