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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. rush — hurry
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. content — the amount
  5. lean — to bend
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. ground — the earth
  10. cue — a hint
  11. lean — thin
  12. ground — a position
  13. swing — to play on
  14. swing — music
  15. content — happy
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. suit — in cards
  18. cue — for pool
  19. suit — clothes
  20. cue — a signal
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. swing — in golf
  23. ground — crushed
  24. dip — to sink

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