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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. foot — a measure
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. dip — to sink
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. rash — hasty
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. kick — in football
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. chip — for betting
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. rash — a series
  22. chip — to eat
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. jam — in traffic

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