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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. chair — a leader
  4. pop — music
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. pop — to visit
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. bat — the animal
  16. pound — a weight
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. pop — soda
  19. dip — to sink
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. calf — a young animal

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