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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. squash — the sport
  3. dip — to sink
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. branch — a division
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. squash — to crush
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. chair — a leader
  12. suit — clothes
  13. suit — in cards
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. pass — a permit
  22. suit — to fit
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. dip — a sauce

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