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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. dip — to sink
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. pit — in a race
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. shower — to wash
  14. shower — rain
  15. pit — a hole
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. squash — the sport
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. squash — to crush
  24. coach — a trainer

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