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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  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. ball — a dance
  3. charge — electricity
  4. firm — steady
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. pit — in a race
  7. firm — decided
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. ball — a great time
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. charge — a price
  13. charge — in control
  14. squash — the sport
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. squash — to crush
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. pit — a hole
  23. firm — a company
  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