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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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. key — in music
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. dip — to sink
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. wound — an injury
  9. wound — an injury
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. toast — bread
  12. suit — in cards
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. bat — the animal
  15. key — for a lock
  16. kick — in football
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. suit — clothes
  21. suit — to fit
  22. key — the most important part
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. safe — out of danger

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