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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. suit — in cards
  3. dip — to sink
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. chest — of your body
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. ground — a position
  10. ground — crushed
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. bound — tied together
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. deal — to handle
  15. suit — to fit
  16. bound — certain
  17. chest — a box
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. chest — of your body
  20. suit — clothes
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. ground — the earth
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. bound — obliged

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