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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: calf · firm · mouse · wound · plane · content · dip · kid

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. firm — steady
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. kid — to tease
  6. content — happy
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. firm — a company
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. plane — a tool
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. wound — an injury
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. dip — to sink
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. kid — child
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. wound — an injury
  22. content — the amount
  23. firm — decided
  24. content — videos and posts

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