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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 116 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: hide · calf · bass · sharp · can · dip · coach · degree

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. sharp — clever
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. bass — the fish
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. dip — to sink
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. bass — low music
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. degree — an amount
  13. degree — temperature
  14. degree — from a university
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. can — a tin
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. can — a tin
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. can — to be able to

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