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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: bear · dip · drill · calf · sharp · fine · bay · last

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. dip — to sink
  4. fine — high quality
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. sharp — clever
  9. last — final
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. last — finally
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. fine — all right
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. drill — the tool
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. drill — army training
  18. last — to go on
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. bear — the animal
  24. drill — a practice

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