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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. present — there
  3. dip — to sink
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. track — a song
  7. root — of a word
  8. root — of a plant
  9. present — a gift
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. face — to confront
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. face — part of the head
  14. swing — music
  15. track — a path
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. swing — to play on
  18. swing — in golf
  19. present — the time now
  20. face — to point toward
  21. root — the cause
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. track — to keep track
  24. cabinet — ministers

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