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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 120 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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. object — to protest
  5. fine — all right
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. net — after costs
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. fine — high quality
  10. content — happy
  11. charge — a price
  12. content — the amount
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. charge — in control
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. object — a thing
  18. net — for catching
  19. plane — a tool
  20. net — in sport
  21. object — an aim
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. charge — electricity
  24. content — videos and posts

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