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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. squash — the sport
  4. dip — to sink
  5. suit — clothes
  6. hand — in cards
  7. hand — help
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. suit — to fit
  10. key — the most important part
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. squash — to crush
  15. key — in music
  16. suit — in cards
  17. key — for a lock
  18. safe — out of danger

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