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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. file — a document
  3. pitch — completely
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. cue — a signal
  6. clip — a video
  7. clip — to cut
  8. mug — a cup
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. file — a line of people
  13. suit — in cards
  14. clip — for paper
  15. file — a tool
  16. suit — to fit
  17. mug — a face
  18. cue — a hint
  19. pound — a weight
  20. suit — clothes
  21. cue — for pool
  22. mug — to rob
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. dip — to sink

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