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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. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. spring — of water
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. rule — government
  5. tube — a container
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. dip — to sink
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. spring — a coil
  11. spring — the season
  12. pit — in a race
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. pit — a hole
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. rule — a law
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. tube — the underground
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. rule — to rule out

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