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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 120 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. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. rash — hasty
  3. present — a gift
  4. mate — to breed
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. rash — a series
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. present — the time now
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. mate — a friend
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. mate — a partner
  19. present — there
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. stand — to bear
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. dip — to sink

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