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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. bass — low music
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. rush — hurry
  7. capital — money
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. staff — employees
  13. suit — to fit
  14. foot — a measure
  15. dip — to sink
  16. staff — a stick
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. suit — clothes
  19. capital — a city
  20. staff — employees
  21. suit — in cards
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. bass — the fish
  24. rush — a thrill

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