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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. hand — help
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. prune — to trim
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. hand — in cards
  9. can — a tin
  10. row — a line
  11. dip — to sink
  12. deal — to handle
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. prune — to trim
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. can — to be able to
  18. can — a tin
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. row — to paddle
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. deal — an agreement

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