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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  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 dunk
  2. plane — a tool
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. spring — a coil
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. deal — to handle
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. mate — a partner
  10. spring — the season
  11. mate — to breed
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. pit — a hole
  19. spring — of water
  20. dip — to sink
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. pit — in a race
  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