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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 · dip · mine · saw · plane · current · tear · deal

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. tear — to rip
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. current — of water
  8. dip — to sink
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. saw — the tool
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. tear — from crying
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. mine — for digging
  20. current — happening now
  21. current — electric
  22. tear — from crying
  23. deal — to handle
  24. plane — a tool

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