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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. cap — of ice
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. firm — steady
  6. prune — to trim
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. cap — a hat
  9. prune — to trim
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. firm — decided
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. net — for catching
  15. bulb — for light
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. net — in sport
  18. firm — a company
  19. dip — to sink
  20. cap — a lid
  21. bulb — for light
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. net — after costs

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