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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 like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. charge — a price
  3. toast — bread
  4. mug — to rob
  5. charge — in control
  6. dip — to sink
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. mark — a trace
  10. mug — a cup
  11. tear — from crying
  12. mug — a face
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. mark — a grade
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. tear — to rip
  18. pit — a hole
  19. tear — from crying
  20. hand — in cards
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. hand — help
  23. pit — in a race
  24. charge — electricity

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