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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 120 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 don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. cap — a lid
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. ground — a position
  5. ground — crushed
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. dip — to sink
  8. rock — music
  9. ground — the earth
  10. tube — a container
  11. rock — a stone
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. object — a thing
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. tube — the underground
  17. suit — in cards
  18. object — an aim
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. cap — of ice
  21. suit — clothes
  22. object — to protest
  23. suit — to fit
  24. cap — a hat

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