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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. suit — to fit
  4. drill — army training
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. bulb — for light
  7. drill — a practice
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. bat — the animal
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. stock — goods
  13. suit — in cards
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. bulb — for light
  19. suit — clothes
  20. drill — the tool
  21. stock — shares
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. dip — to sink

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