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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 124 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: calf · lash · pitcher · bank · cap · dip · mate · present

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. mate — a partner
  4. cap — a lid
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. cap — a hat
  9. mate — to breed
  10. mate — a friend
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. present — the time now
  14. bank — for money
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. dip — to sink
  17. present — a gift
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. cap — of ice
  20. bank — of a river
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. present — there
  23. bank — for money
  24. pitcher — a jug

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