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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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. calf — a young animal
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. spell — magic
  7. bass — low music
  8. cue — for pool
  9. kick — in football
  10. spell — letters
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. spell — a short time
  14. bass — the fish
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. cue — a hint
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. cue — a signal
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. pound — a weight
  24. dip — a sauce

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