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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 muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. net — after costs
  3. pit — a hole
  4. dip — to sink
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. track — to keep track
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. firm — a company
  10. squash — the sport
  11. firm — decided
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. squash — to crush
  14. firm — steady
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. pit — in a race
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. net — for catching
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. track — a song
  23. net — in sport
  24. ruler — a monarch

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