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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. tube — a container
  4. ball — a dance
  5. field — a subject
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. tube — the underground
  11. ball — a great time
  12. field — farmland
  13. rush — hurry
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. dip — to sink
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. field — for sport
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. rush — a thrill

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