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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. ball — a great time
  5. dip — to sink
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. charge — a price
  9. charge — in control
  10. kick — in football
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. ball — a dance
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. fall — to drop
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. fall — to drop
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. chip — to eat
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. chip — for betting
  21. charge — electricity
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. fall — the season

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