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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. kick — in football
  6. ball — a great time
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. ball — a dance
  11. dip — to sink
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. date — the fruit
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. content — the amount
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. content — happy

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