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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. craft — boats
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. pop — soda
  6. date — the fruit
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. can — to be able to
  9. pound — a weight
  10. foot — a measure
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. pop — to visit
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. can — a tin
  20. can — a tin
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. pop — music
  23. dip — to sink
  24. craft — a skill

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