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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 · dip · mark · can · chest · rush · leaves · toast

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  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. dip — to sink
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. chest — of your body
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. chest — a box
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. mark — a grade
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. mark — a trace
  14. chest — of your body
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. can — to be able to
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. can — a tin
  19. rush — hurry
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. can — a tin
  23. toast — bread
  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