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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 were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. kick — in football
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. lie — to recline
  8. ground — a position
  9. clip — a video
  10. pound — a weight
  11. charge — electricity
  12. clip — for paper
  13. charge — in control
  14. mug — to rob
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. mug — a face
  17. ground — the earth
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. charge — a price
  20. ground — crushed
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. clip — to cut
  23. mug — a cup
  24. dip — to sink

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