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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: rock · hand · lean · object · dip · track · nail · calf

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. dip — to sink
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. track — a path
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. rock — music
  8. lean — thin
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. object — to protest
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. lean — to bend
  15. rock — a stone
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. object — an aim
  20. object — a thing
  21. hand — in cards
  22. hand — help
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. track — a song

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