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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 116 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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. prune — to trim
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. content — the amount
  8. staff — a stick
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. content — happy
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. lie — to recline
  14. staff — employees
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. staff — employees
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. pound — a weight
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. wake — a trail
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. prune — to trim

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