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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. cell — in biology
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. fork — in a road
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. kick — in football
  11. press — a publisher
  12. dip — to sink
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. craft — boats
  17. press — newspapers
  18. press — to push
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. cell — a phone
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. craft — a skill

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