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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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. charge — electricity
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. pass — a permit
  8. object — a thing
  9. ground — a position
  10. ground — the earth
  11. bear — the animal
  12. charge — a price
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. bear — the animal
  15. object — an aim
  16. kick — in football
  17. charge — in control
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. dip — to sink
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. ground — crushed
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. object — to protest

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