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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 116 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 flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. chip — for betting
  4. tear — from crying
  5. suit — in cards
  6. pop — soda
  7. last — final
  8. chip — to eat
  9. last — finally
  10. dip — to sink
  11. pop — to visit
  12. fine — high quality
  13. spring — a coil
  14. fine — all right
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. suit — to fit
  17. spring — of water
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. last — to go on
  20. suit — clothes
  21. tear — to rip
  22. tear — from crying
  23. pop — music
  24. fine — a penalty

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