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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. stand — to bear
  5. spring — of water
  6. pop — soda
  7. deal — to handle
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. spring — a coil
  12. spring — the season
  13. pop — music
  14. rock — a stone
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. dip — to sink
  17. pop — to visit
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. rock — music
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. mouse — the animal

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