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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. game — a match
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. ground — crushed
  7. firm — decided
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. game — wild animals
  10. spell — a short time
  11. roll — a cake
  12. firm — a company
  13. club — for golf
  14. spell — letters
  15. dip — to sink
  16. roll — a list
  17. club — a group
  18. ground — the earth
  19. firm — steady
  20. club — for dancing
  21. ground — a position
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. spell — magic
  24. game — a kind of play

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