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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. dip — to sink
  4. charge — a price
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. fine — all right
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. pit — a hole
  10. stock — shares
  11. pit — in a race
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. charge — electricity
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. stock — goods
  18. squash — to crush
  19. squash — the sport
  20. pound — a weight
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. fine — high quality
  24. charge — in control

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