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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. dip — to sink
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. pit — in a race
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. toast — bread
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. club — a group
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. club — for dancing
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. club — for golf
  15. net — for catching
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. mine — for digging
  19. kick — in football
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. pit — a hole
  22. net — in sport
  23. net — after costs
  24. racket — for tennis

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