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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. suit — clothes
  3. suit — in cards
  4. game — a match
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. dip — to sink
  7. rule — a law
  8. suit — to fit
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. pit — a hole
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. pit — in a race
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. game — wild animals
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. rule — government

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