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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. pop — to visit
  5. dip — to sink
  6. net — after costs
  7. track — a song
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. net — for catching
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. pop — music
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. track — to keep track
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. track — a path
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. bear — the animal
  22. pop — soda
  23. bear — the animal
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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