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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. rash — hasty
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. foot — a measure
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. rash — a series
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. bank — for money
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. scale — size or range
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bank — of a river
  14. dip — to sink
  15. bank — for money
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. scale — in music
  18. tube — the underground
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. calf — a young animal

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