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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  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. lean — to rest against
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. prune — to trim
  5. prune — to trim
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. squash — to crush
  8. fine — high quality
  9. track — a path
  10. lean — to bend
  11. bass — the fish
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. bass — low music
  14. squash — the sport
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. track — to keep track
  17. track — a song
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. lean — thin
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. fine — all right
  23. dip — a sauce
  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