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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. squash — the sport
  4. squash — to crush
  5. ground — the earth
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. spring — of water
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. deal — to handle
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. ground — a position
  13. charge — electricity
  14. track — a song
  15. bore — to tire
  16. charge — in control
  17. charge — a price
  18. spring — a coil
  19. track — to keep track
  20. ground — crushed
  21. spring — the season
  22. bore — to drill
  23. track — a path
  24. dip — a sauce

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