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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. mark — a grade
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. fall — the season
  8. fall — to drop
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. net — for catching
  12. net — in sport
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. mark — a trace
  15. lie — to recline
  16. cue — for pool
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. cue — a hint
  21. net — after costs
  22. fall — to drop
  23. dip — to sink
  24. cue — a signal

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