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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 that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. mug — a face
  3. mug — to rob
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. mug — a cup
  12. dip — to sink
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. pop — to visit
  16. pop — music
  17. bark — to shout
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. rule — government
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. rule — a law
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. pop — soda
  24. safe — a strongbox

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