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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: dip · kick · staff · deal · calf · track · wind · squash

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. kick — in football
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. wind — moving air
  6. staff — employees
  7. staff — a stick
  8. squash — to crush
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. track — a path
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. deal — to handle
  14. dip — to sink
  15. squash — the sport
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. track — to keep track
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. track — a song
  24. staff — employees

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