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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. cap — a hat
  5. mark — a trace
  6. lie — to recline
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. pit — a hole
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. charge — in control
  11. mark — a grade
  12. charge — electricity
  13. cap — of ice
  14. pit — in a race
  15. charge — a price
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. cap — a lid
  18. mark — to pay attention

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