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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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. present — the time now
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. rule — a law
  6. wake — a trail
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. dip — to sink
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. mine — for digging
  14. rule — government
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. ball — a dance
  17. sharp — clever
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. ball — a great time
  23. present — there
  24. present — a gift

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