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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. kick — in football
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. current — electric
  6. swing — music
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. dip — to sink
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. foot — a measure
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. content — happy
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. current — happening now
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. swing — in golf
  18. swing — to play on
  19. ball — a great time
  20. content — the amount
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. current — of water
  23. ball — a dance
  24. cabinet — ministers

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