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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 seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. fine — all right
  3. staff — employees
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. track — a song
  7. chip — to eat
  8. chip — for betting
  9. dip — to sink
  10. track — a path
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. staff — employees
  16. track — to keep track
  17. lie — to recline
  18. fine — high quality
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. rash — a series
  21. rash — hasty
  22. staff — a stick
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. chip — in a computer

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