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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.

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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 · date · racket · dip · fork · snap · bulb · mate

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. fork — in a road
  5. dip — to sink
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. mate — a friend
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bulb — for light
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. mate — a partner
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. mate — to breed
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. bulb — for light
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. date — the fruit
  22. snap — to click
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. fork — to eat with

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