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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 teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. roll — a list
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. pop — soda
  5. face — to point toward
  6. face — part of the head
  7. pop — to visit
  8. stem — to come from
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. face — to confront
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. roll — a cake
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. chair — a leader
  24. pop — music

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