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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. dip — to sink
  4. content — happy
  5. suit — to fit
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. suit — in cards
  9. land — ground
  10. land — to come down
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. content — the amount
  15. lie — to recline
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. land — a country
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. jam — a tight spot

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