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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. rock — a stone
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. saw — the tool
  11. rock — music
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. dip — to sink
  15. fine — all right
  16. fine — high quality
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. stock — shares
  21. stock — goods
  22. snap — to click
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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