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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 116 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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. suit — in cards
  3. mate — a partner
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. game — a match
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. game — wild animals
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. squash — the sport
  11. content — the amount
  12. plane — a tool
  13. mate — to breed
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. suit — clothes
  16. press — newspapers
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. squash — to crush
  20. press — a publisher
  21. press — to push
  22. content — happy
  23. suit — to fit
  24. mate — a friend

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