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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. bank — of a river
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. bat — the animal
  8. prune — to trim
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. prune — to trim
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bank — for money
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. board — to get on
  15. rock — music
  16. bank — for money
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. board — a committee
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. rock — a stone

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