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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 120 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 ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. mate — a partner
  4. dip — to sink
  5. bear — the animal
  6. pop — music
  7. perch — the fish
  8. rush — hurry
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. mate — a friend
  12. bear — the animal
  13. pitch — completely
  14. mate — to breed
  15. pop — soda
  16. stand — to bear
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. pop — to visit
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. stand — on your feet

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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