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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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. fall — to drop
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. firm — a company
  7. rush — hurry
  8. dip — to sink
  9. firm — steady
  10. pop — music
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. pop — to visit
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. game — wild animals
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. fall — to drop
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. game — a match
  20. fall — the season
  21. pop — soda
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. firm — decided

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