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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: pop · object · dip · roll · saw · kick · pitcher · calf

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. pop — soda
  10. roll — a cake
  11. object — to protest
  12. dip — to sink
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pop — to visit
  15. object — a thing
  16. roll — a list
  17. pop — music
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. saw — the tool
  21. object — an aim
  22. saw — the tool
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. kick — in football

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