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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  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. rock — music
  2. rock — a stone
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. deal — to handle
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. ball — a great time
  11. rest — what's left
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. ball — a dance
  14. kick — in football
  15. pitch — completely
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. spring — of water
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. rest — what's left
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. spring — a coil
  22. rest — a break
  23. spring — the season
  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