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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. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. cold — an illness
  3. track — a path
  4. dip — to sink
  5. tube — a container
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. press — newspapers
  12. tube — the underground
  13. rock — music
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. stand — to bear
  16. track — a song
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. press — to push
  20. track — to keep track
  21. press — a publisher
  22. rock — a stone
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. cold — not warm

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