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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 120 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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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: ruler · bound · dip · calf · deal · cold · lash · wake

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. deal — to handle
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. cold — not warm
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. bound — obliged
  10. bound — certain
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. wake — a trail
  19. bound — tied together
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. cold — an illness
  24. deal — an agreement

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