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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. swing — to play on
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. snap — to click
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. suit — clothes
  10. chair — a leader
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. swing — in golf
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. suit — to fit
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. dip — to sink
  18. stock — shares
  19. suit — in cards
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. kick — in football
  22. swing — music
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. stock — goods

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