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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. dip — to sink
  3. chair — a leader
  4. mug — a cup
  5. mug — to rob
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. wake — a trail
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. mark — a trace
  11. mug — a face
  12. file — a document
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. file — a tool
  20. mark — a grade
  21. pit — in a race
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. pit — a hole

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