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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. can — to be able to
  6. can — a tin
  7. drill — army training
  8. wind — moving air
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. can — a tin
  12. branch — a division
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. drill — a practice
  15. foot — a measure
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. dip — to sink
  20. drill — the tool
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. wind — moving air

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