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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 keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. track — to keep track
  3. present — the time now
  4. chip — to eat
  5. march — music
  6. dip — to sink
  7. suit — clothes
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. suit — to fit
  10. rush — hurry
  11. chip — for betting
  12. suit — in cards
  13. saw — the tool
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. track — a song
  16. march — the month
  17. saw — the tool
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. present — a gift
  20. march — the month
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. present — there
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. track — a path

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