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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 116 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 assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. dip — to sink
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. cap — a hat
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. cap — of ice
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. cap — a lid
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. ball — a dance
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. fine — high quality
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. ball — a great time
  24. perch — the fish

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