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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 116 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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. dip — to sink
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. net — for catching
  9. bark — to shout
  10. net — in sport
  11. mug — a cup
  12. net — after costs
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. rush — hurry
  15. mug — a face
  16. content — happy
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. content — the amount
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. mug — to rob

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