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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. pit — a hole
  3. firm — decided
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. dip — to sink
  7. kick — in football
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. firm — steady
  11. clip — to cut
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. firm — a company
  15. pit — in a race
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. clip — for paper
  18. clip — a video
  19. deal — to handle
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. deal — a big deal

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