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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. can — a tin
  3. fall — the season
  4. fall — to drop
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. mark — a grade
  8. can — a tin
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. can — to be able to
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. fall — to drop
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. pound — a weight
  22. dip — to sink
  23. mark — a trace
  24. chair — a leader

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