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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. dip — to sink
  4. file — a document
  5. cap — a lid
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. object — a thing
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. file — a line of people
  12. file — a tool
  13. track — a path
  14. object — an aim
  15. track — a song
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. ball — a dance
  18. ball — a great time
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. cap — a hat
  21. cap — of ice
  22. track — to keep track
  23. kick — in football
  24. pass — a permit

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