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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. chip — to eat
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. clip — to cut
  6. rule — government
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. clip — a video
  9. dip — to sink
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. bore — to tire
  12. pop — music
  13. pitch — completely
  14. bore — to drill
  15. chip — for betting
  16. pop — to visit
  17. pop — soda
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. clip — for paper
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. rule — a law
  24. bore — gave birth

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