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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. mine — for digging
  3. can — a tin
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. swing — music
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. swing — in golf
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. can — a tin
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. lie — to recline
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. can — to be able to
  20. spring — a coil
  21. dip — to sink
  22. swing — to play on
  23. spring — the season
  24. spring — of water

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