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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bound · cap · dip · mine · calf · fine · fork · chip

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. cap — a hat
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. cap — a lid
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. cap — of ice
  8. fine — all right
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. bound — tied together
  12. chip — for betting
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. bound — obliged
  15. mine — for digging
  16. fork — in a road
  17. bound — certain
  18. fine — high quality
  19. dip — to sink
  20. chip — to eat
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. fine — a penalty

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