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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. David sat on the ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. swing — to play on
  3. swing — music
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. spring — a coil
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. kick — in football
  8. perch — the fish
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. swing — in golf
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. spring — of water
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. vault — a safe
  17. rush — hurry
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. dip — to sink
  23. spring — the season
  24. safe — a strongbox

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