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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. dip — to sink
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. bound — certain
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. capital — money
  8. snap — to click
  9. capital — a city
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. bear — the animal
  13. staff — employees
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. bound — obliged
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. bound — tied together
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. deal — to handle
  22. bear — the animal
  23. staff — employees
  24. staff — a stick

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