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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. spring — of water
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. spring — a coil
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. last — finally
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. spring — the season
  12. kick — in football
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. bass — the fish
  15. pitch — completely
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. bass — low music
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. last — final
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. last — to go on
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. kick — a thrill

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