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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. fine — all right
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. fine — high quality
  7. bore — to tire
  8. firm — a company
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. bore — to drill
  11. firm — steady
  12. firm — decided
  13. dip — to sink
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. mug — a cup
  17. date — the fruit
  18. mug — to rob
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. mug — a face
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. bark — to shout
  24. bark — of a tree

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