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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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. snap — to click
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. cue — a signal
  8. dip — to sink
  9. cue — for pool
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. cue — a hint
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. wake — a trail
  24. ruler — for measuring

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