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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. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. dip — to sink
  9. snap — to click
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. stock — shares
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. stock — goods
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. vault — a safe
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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