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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. cold — an illness
  5. dip — to sink
  6. fine — high quality
  7. firm — steady
  8. net — in sport
  9. cold — the Cold War
  10. fine — all right
  11. net — after costs
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. net — for catching
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. firm — a company
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. pass — a permit
  22. firm — decided
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. cold — not warm

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