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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. dip — to sink
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. suit — clothes
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. march — the month
  12. spring — the season
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. chair — a leader
  15. bark — to shout
  16. spring — a coil
  17. suit — to fit
  18. suit — in cards
  19. spring — of water
  20. march — music
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. march — the month
  24. calf — a young animal

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