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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. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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. clip — a video
  4. squash — to crush
  5. dip — to sink
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. bound — obliged
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. squash — the sport
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. clip — to cut
  17. lean — to bend
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. bound — certain
  20. lean — thin
  21. clip — for paper
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. bound — tied together
  24. mine — for digging

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