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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. net — in sport
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. squash — the sport
  10. net — for catching
  11. net — after costs
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. squash — to crush
  14. rest — a break
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. dip — to sink
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. rest — what's left
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. rest — what's left
  24. arm — a part of something

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