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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. club — for dancing
  3. staff — employees
  4. staff — employees
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. pitch — completely
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. staff — a stick
  11. club — for golf
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. club — a group
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. dip — to sink
  23. pound — a weight
  24. fan — to cool the air

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