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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. craft — a skill
  8. dip — to sink
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. bore — to drill
  11. face — part of the head
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. craft — boats
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. face — to confront
  17. clip — for paper
  18. clip — a video
  19. clip — to cut
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. bore — to tire
  22. face — to point toward
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. bore — gave birth

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