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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 116 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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. cap — a lid
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. craft — a skill
  15. row — to paddle
  16. cap — a hat
  17. row — a line
  18. cap — of ice
  19. pitch — completely
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. dip — to sink
  23. craft — boats
  24. nail — for a hammer

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