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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: ball · deal · dip · bear · mate · calf · cap · leaves

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. bear — the animal
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. cap — a lid
  10. mate — a friend
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. ball — a great time
  14. dip — to sink
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. mate — a partner
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. bear — the animal
  20. cap — a hat
  21. deal — to handle
  22. mate — to breed
  23. cap — of ice
  24. ball — a dance

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