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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: spring · mug · bat · nail · calf · dip · cabinet · pound

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  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. bat — in an idiom
  2. bat — the animal
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. mug — a face
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. spring — of water
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. spring — the season
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. dip — to sink
  20. mug — a cup
  21. mug — to rob
  22. pound — a weight
  23. spring — a coil
  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