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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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. net — in sport
  3. sharp — clever
  4. face — to point toward
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. face — part of the head
  7. dip — to sink
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. net — for catching
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. face — to confront
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. cap — a lid
  18. cap — a hat
  19. net — after costs
  20. cap — of ice
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. racket — for tennis

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