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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. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. clip — to cut
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. fine — high quality
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. fine — all right
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. vault — a safe
  16. clip — a video
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. dip — to sink
  21. rock — a stone
  22. clip — for paper
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. rock — music

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