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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. dip — to sink
  3. can — a tin
  4. rush — hurry
  5. cap — of ice
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. cap — a hat
  8. track — a path
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. track — to keep track
  12. bark — to shout
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. can — to be able to
  15. can — a tin
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. cap — a lid
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. track — a song
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. dip — to dunk

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