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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. kid — child
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. pound — a weight
  9. pit — in a race
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. kid — to tease
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. pit — a hole
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. kick — in football
  18. hide — to keep secret

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