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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. spell — magic
  3. bore — to tire
  4. spell — a short time
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. court — for sport
  7. bark — to shout
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. court — of law
  14. court — of a king
  15. dip — to sink
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. pitch — completely
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. toast — bread
  20. spell — letters
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. bore — to drill
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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