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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. dip — to sink
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. clip — for paper
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. deal — to handle
  7. rest — a break
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. mug — a cup
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. mug — to rob
  12. mug — a face
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. clip — a video
  15. rest — what's left
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. content — happy
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. wake — a trail
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. clip — to cut
  23. rest — what's left
  24. content — the amount

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