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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. tube — a container
  6. cue — a signal
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. firm — a company
  10. cue — for pool
  11. root — of a word
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. court — of a king
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. firm — steady
  17. tube — the underground
  18. cue — a hint
  19. court — for sport
  20. firm — decided
  21. court — of law
  22. root — the cause
  23. dip — to sink
  24. root — of a plant

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