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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 116 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 information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. file — a document
  3. ground — the earth
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. ground — crushed
  6. march — music
  7. mark — a trace
  8. march — the month
  9. march — the month
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mark — a grade
  13. charge — in control
  14. cue — a hint
  15. charge — a price
  16. ground — a position
  17. file — a line of people
  18. dip — to sink
  19. cue — for pool
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. cue — a signal
  22. file — a tool
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. charge — electricity

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