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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: wound · wake · charge · cap · craft · calf · dip · bear

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. cap — of ice
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. charge — in control
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. wound — an injury
  10. bear — the animal
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. wake — a trail
  13. charge — a price
  14. cap — a lid
  15. craft — boats
  16. bear — the animal
  17. charge — electricity
  18. cap — a hat
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. wound — an injury
  22. craft — a skill
  23. calf — a young animal
  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