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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. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. game — wild animals
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. game — a match
  7. suit — clothes
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. deal — to handle
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. suit — in cards
  12. date — the fruit
  13. prune — to trim
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. suit — to fit
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. prune — to trim
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. dip — to sink
  22. cap — of ice
  23. cap — a lid
  24. cap — a hat

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