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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. firm — a company
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. cue — a signal
  5. cue — for pool
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. firm — steady
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. object — an aim
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. pit — a hole
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. object — to protest
  14. mug — to rob
  15. rash — a series
  16. pit — in a race
  17. season — in sport
  18. dip — to sink
  19. object — a thing
  20. firm — decided
  21. mug — a cup
  22. mug — a face
  23. season — of the year
  24. cue — a hint

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