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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. face — part of the head
  4. dip — to sink
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. rash — hasty
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. saw — the tool
  9. saw — the tool
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. rash — a series
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. bear — the animal
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. rush — hurry
  18. snap — to click
  19. face — to point toward
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. face — to confront
  23. bear — the animal
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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