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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. dip — to sink
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. fork — in a road
  7. clip — a video
  8. band — a ring
  9. clip — to cut
  10. rock — a stone
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. clip — for paper
  15. toast — bread
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. rock — music
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. band — a music group
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. squash — to crush
  24. squash — the sport

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