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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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468
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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. dip — to sink
  3. chest — of your body
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. chest — of your body
  6. pit — a hole
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. charge — a price
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. mark — a grade
  12. kick — in football
  13. pit — in a race
  14. charge — electricity
  15. chest — a box
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. mark — a trace
  18. charge — in control
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. stand — to bear
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. kick — with a leg

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