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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. kid — child
  4. kid — to tease
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. current — happening now
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. bank — for money
  15. current — electric
  16. sharp — clever
  17. dip — to sink
  18. current — of water
  19. bank — of a river
  20. bank — for money
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. cabinet — ministers

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