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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. firm — steady
  3. firm — decided
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. craft — a skill
  6. dip — to sink
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. craft — boats
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. spell — letters
  15. spell — magic
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. mug — a cup
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. spell — a short time
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. mug — a face
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. firm — a company

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