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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. lean — to bend
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. stock — shares
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. cap — of ice
  9. pit — in a race
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. craft — boats
  12. pit — a hole
  13. dip — to sink
  14. lean — thin
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. cap — a lid
  20. cap — a hat
  21. craft — a skill
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. stock — goods

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