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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  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 — to dunk
  2. rest — what's left
  3. tear — to rip
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. snap — to click
  7. tear — from crying
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. mark — a trace
  11. rest — what's left
  12. content — happy
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. dip — to sink
  19. rest — a break
  20. content — the amount
  21. mark — a grade
  22. tear — from crying
  23. content — videos and posts
  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