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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. track — a path
  3. file — a document
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. ball — a great time
  6. file — a line of people
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. pit — in a race
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. firm — decided
  12. firm — a company
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. season — of the year
  16. pit — a hole
  17. ball — a dance
  18. track — a song
  19. file — a tool
  20. season — in sport
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. track — to keep track
  23. firm — steady
  24. racket — a loud noise

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