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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. stem — to come from
  10. pit — in a race
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. band — a ring
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. dip — to sink
  16. band — a music group
  17. rush — hurry
  18. pit — a hole
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. snap — to click
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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