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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: dip · key · squash · calf · mark · fan · saw · wake

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. saw — the tool
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. dip — to sink
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. mark — a trace
  13. mark — a grade
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. saw — the tool
  16. squash — to crush
  17. wake — a trail
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. key — for a lock
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. key — in music
  22. squash — the sport
  23. key — the most important part
  24. calf — a young animal

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