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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. charge — a price
  4. suit — in cards
  5. mate — a friend
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. snap — to click
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. charge — in control
  12. suit — to fit
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. mate — a partner
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. hand — in cards
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. hand — help
  20. charge — electricity
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. dip — to sink
  23. suit — clothes
  24. mate — to breed

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