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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
468
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: club · jam · mark · face · can · dip · chest · calf

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. face — to point toward
  3. club — a group
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. can — a tin
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. chest — of your body
  9. club — for golf
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. mark — a trace
  13. chest — of your body
  14. can — a tin
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. dip — to sink
  17. club — for dancing
  18. face — part of the head
  19. mark — a grade
  20. chest — a box
  21. face — to confront
  22. can — to be able to
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. jam — a tight spot

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