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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. key — for a lock
  4. key — the most important part
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. saw — the tool
  12. saw — the tool
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. content — the amount
  16. key — in music
  17. content — happy
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pound — a weight
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. hide — to keep secret

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