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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. fall — to drop
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. dip — to sink
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. fall — the season
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. foot — a measure
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. game — a match
  14. rush — hurry
  15. bulb — for light
  16. fall — to drop
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. bulb — for light
  21. game — wild animals
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. rush — a thrill

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