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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. net — after costs
  3. cap — a lid
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. cap — a hat
  6. mark — a grade
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. game — wild animals
  10. tube — a container
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. game — a match
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. net — for catching
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. cap — of ice
  18. net — in sport
  19. mark — a trace
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. tube — the underground

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