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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. mug — to rob
  5. mine — for digging
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. pit — in a race
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. mug — a cup
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. dip — to sink
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. mug — a face
  24. ruler — for measuring

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