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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 120 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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. foot — a measure
  4. dip — to sink
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. stem — to come from
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. bear — the animal
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. suit — clothes
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. content — the amount
  15. bear — the animal
  16. pitch — completely
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. content — happy
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. suit — to fit
  22. suit — in cards
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. bear — to put up with

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