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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: calf · bowl · nail · root · clip · mark · rock · dip

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. mark — a grade
  3. clip — a video
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. rock — music
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. root — of a word
  8. dip — to sink
  9. clip — to cut
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. root — the cause
  12. rock — a stone
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. mark — a trace
  17. root — of a plant
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. clip — for paper
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. nail — on a finger

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