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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 120 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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. cap — a lid
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — a tin
  6. cap — of ice
  7. deal — to handle
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. rush — hurry
  10. clip — a video
  11. cap — a hat
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. pass — a permit
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. can — to be able to
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. clip — for paper
  24. clip — to cut

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