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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. roll — a cake
  3. rock — a stone
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. clip — to cut
  8. row — a line
  9. row — to paddle
  10. dip — to sink
  11. firm — decided
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. firm — a company
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. clip — a video
  19. rock — music
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. firm — steady
  23. clip — for paper
  24. roll — a list

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