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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. ground — a position
  5. object — an aim
  6. stand — to bear
  7. rule — a law
  8. object — a thing
  9. swing — music
  10. scale — size or range
  11. swing — to play on
  12. object — to protest
  13. swing — in golf
  14. rule — government
  15. bore — to drill
  16. scale — in music
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. dip — to sink
  20. ground — crushed
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. bore — to tire
  23. ground — the earth
  24. dip — to dunk

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