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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 116 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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. dip — to sink
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. content — the amount
  5. content — happy
  6. spring — a coil
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. pit — in a race
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. mine — for digging
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. pit — a hole
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. suit — clothes
  18. spring — of water
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. spring — the season
  21. suit — in cards
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. suit — to fit
  24. vault — a safe

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