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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pass · fan · calf · land · dip · squash · race · can

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. can — a tin
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. can — a tin
  5. land — ground
  6. pass — a permit
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. squash — the sport
  10. squash — to crush
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. race — humankind
  13. land — a country
  14. race — the arms race
  15. race — a contest
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. land — to come down
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. can — to be able to
  24. dip — to sink

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