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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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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: race · cap · bay · net · dip · row · calf · fine

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. net — after costs
  5. net — in sport
  6. row — to paddle
  7. race — a contest
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. cap — of ice
  10. fine — all right
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. fine — high quality
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. cap — a lid
  16. cap — a hat
  17. row — a line
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. race — the arms race
  20. dip — to sink
  21. net — for catching
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. race — humankind
  24. calf — a young animal

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