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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 120 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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. rock — music
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. pitch — completely
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. object — a thing
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. game — a match
  11. dip — to sink
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. ball — a great time
  15. object — to protest
  16. fine — all right
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. rock — a stone
  19. snap — to click
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. game — wild animals
  22. fine — high quality
  23. ball — a dance
  24. pitch — a sales talk

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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