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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 120 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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. kick — in football
  4. rule — a law
  5. firm — a company
  6. dip — to sink
  7. pit — a hole
  8. rule — government
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. pit — in a race
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. deal — to handle
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. firm — steady
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. firm — decided

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