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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.

Make a worksheet

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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. suit — in cards
  3. mug — a cup
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. mug — to rob
  7. plane — a tool
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. suit — clothes
  12. dip — to sink
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. mine — for digging
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. mug — a face
  21. suit — to fit
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. chair — a leader

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