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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. court — for sport
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. stand — to bear
  8. chair — a leader
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. court — of a king
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. perch — the fish
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. snap — to click
  15. pit — in a race
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. court — of law
  19. pit — a hole
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. foot — a measure
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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