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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. firm — a company
  4. suit — to fit
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. suit — in cards
  7. dip — to sink
  8. firm — decided
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. rash — hasty
  11. rash — a series
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. suit — clothes
  16. cell — in biology
  17. cell — a phone
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. firm — steady
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. fan — a supporter

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