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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  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. pitch — completely
  3. suit — in cards
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. suit — to fit
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. rule — government
  8. rule — a law
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. season — of the year
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. suit — clothes
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. season — in sport
  19. deal — to handle
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. cabinet — ministers
  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