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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 116 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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. pit — in a race
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. mate — a partner
  8. mate — to breed
  9. chip — for betting
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. plane — a tool
  14. mate — a friend
  15. prune — to trim
  16. dip — to sink
  17. lie — to recline
  18. chip — to eat
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. prune — to trim
  21. pit — a hole
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. perch — the fish
  24. perch — for a bird

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