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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. lean — thin
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. dip — to sink
  9. wound — an injury
  10. pitch — completely
  11. chip — for betting
  12. mug — to rob
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. chip — to eat
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. wound — an injury
  20. mug — a face
  21. lean — to bend
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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