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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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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. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. present — the time now
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. track — to keep track
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. dip — to sink
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. present — a gift
  15. toast — bread
  16. present — there
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. lie — to recline
  21. track — a song
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. track — a path
  24. bowl — a football final

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