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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 ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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. rest — a break
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. rest — what's left
  6. ball — a great time
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. dip — to sink
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. rest — what's left
  11. chair — a leader
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. ball — a dance
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. bear — the animal
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. bear — the animal
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. patient — a sick person

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