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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. pit — a hole
  5. dip — to sink
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. chip — to eat
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. spring — a coil
  11. bark — to shout
  12. pit — in a race
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. spring — the season
  15. spring — of water
  16. chip — for betting
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. foot — a measure
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. bear — the animal
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. bear — the 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