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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  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. face — to point toward
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. court — of a king
  6. firm — steady
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. firm — a company
  11. chip — for betting
  12. court — of law
  13. face — part of the head
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. rock — a stone
  16. face — to confront
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. rush — hurry
  20. court — for sport
  21. firm — decided
  22. rock — music
  23. chip — to eat
  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