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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. track — a song
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. track — to keep track
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. suit — in cards
  7. dip — to sink
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. track — a path
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. pitch — completely
  15. bear — the animal
  16. suit — to fit
  17. suit — clothes
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. bear — the animal
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. sharp — clever
  24. mine — for digging

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