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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  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. arm — a part of something
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. cue — a signal
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. ground — crushed
  7. fine — all right
  8. ground — a position
  9. fine — high quality
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — a tin
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. can — to be able to
  15. cue — for pool
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. cue — a hint
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. ground — the earth
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. rock — music
  23. rock — a stone
  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