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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. season — in sport
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. current — electric
  7. mug — a face
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. season — of the year
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. current — happening now
  15. mug — to rob
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. tube — the underground
  19. tube — a container
  20. dip — to sink
  21. current — of water
  22. mug — a cup
  23. wake — a trail
  24. tube — in a tire

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