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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. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. kid — child
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. mug — a face
  7. object — an aim
  8. firm — steady
  9. pitch — completely
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. mug — a cup
  12. firm — decided
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. content — happy
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. mug — to rob
  18. object — to protest
  19. dip — to sink
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. firm — a company
  22. content — the amount
  23. vault — a safe
  24. object — a thing

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