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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. file — a line of people
  3. craft — boats
  4. object — to protest
  5. mug — a cup
  6. object — a thing
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. stock — goods
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. present — the time now
  12. bulb — for light
  13. present — a gift
  14. file — a tool
  15. bulb — for light
  16. object — an aim
  17. craft — a skill
  18. dip — to sink
  19. mug — to rob
  20. mug — a face
  21. file — a document
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. present — there
  24. stock — shares

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