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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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. chest — of your body
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. tear — from crying
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. chest — a box
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. mug — a cup
  13. tear — from crying
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. dip — to sink
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. mug — a face
  20. mug — to rob
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. chest — of your body
  24. racket — a loud noise

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