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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 124 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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. net — in sport
  3. lean — thin
  4. wake — a trail
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. net — after costs
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. lean — to bend
  15. net — for catching
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. content — happy
  22. content — the amount
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. wake — before a funeral

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