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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 120 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 giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. can — a tin
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. wake — a trail
  6. dip — to sink
  7. mate — to breed
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. scale — size or range
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bass — low music
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. can — to be able to
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. bass — the fish
  17. mate — a friend
  18. scale — in music
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. mate — a partner
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. can — a tin

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