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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. rock — music
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. file — a document
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. file — a tool
  10. dip — to sink
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. rock — a stone
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. pitch — completely
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. file — a line of people
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. rock — to move gently

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