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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 116 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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. dip — to sink
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rest — what's left
  8. swing — in golf
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. degree — from a university
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. rest — a break
  13. swing — music
  14. staff — a stick
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. staff — employees
  17. degree — an amount
  18. staff — employees
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. swing — to play on
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. degree — temperature

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