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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. track — a path
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. suit — clothes
  15. suit — in cards
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. track — to keep track
  18. snap — to click
  19. suit — to fit
  20. present — the time now
  21. present — a gift
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. track — a song
  24. present — there

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