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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. pound — a weight
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. face — to point toward
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. chip — for betting
  8. face — to confront
  9. degree — temperature
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. pit — in a race
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. dip — to sink
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. chip — to eat
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. pit — a hole
  19. face — part of the head
  20. degree — from a university
  21. lie — to recline
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. degree — an amount
  24. pound — to hit hard

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