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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. dip — to sink
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. rule — government
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. march — the month
  10. net — for catching
  11. net — in sport
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. fall — the season
  15. rule — a law
  16. march — music
  17. march — the month
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. fall — to drop
  20. kid — to tease
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. kid — child
  23. fall — to drop
  24. net — after costs

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