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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 lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. chest — a box
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. mark — a grade
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. swing — music
  7. object — a thing
  8. mark — a trace
  9. object — an aim
  10. dip — to sink
  11. band — a ring
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. prune — to trim
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. band — a music group
  16. swing — in golf
  17. prune — to trim
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. pass — a permit
  20. object — to protest
  21. swing — to play on
  22. chest — of your body
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. chest — of your body

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