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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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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 · spring · mine · lie · rock · capital · safe · calf

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. spring — of water
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. lie — to recline
  6. rock — music
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. spring — a coil
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. capital — a city
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. rock — a stone
  19. mine — for digging
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. capital — money
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. spring — the season

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