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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 124 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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. chip — to eat
  4. present — the time now
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. lean — thin
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — to recline
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. roll — a cake
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. toast — bread
  16. roll — a list
  17. present — a gift
  18. present — there
  19. lean — to bend
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. chip — for betting
  24. lie — an untruth

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