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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. object — an aim
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. bat — the animal
  6. dip — to sink
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. bulb — for light
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. object — a thing
  11. bulb — for light
  12. cue — a signal
  13. wound — an injury
  14. fine — high quality
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. object — to protest
  17. rule — government
  18. cue — for pool
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. fine — all right
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. rule — a law
  23. wound — an injury
  24. cue — a hint

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