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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 116 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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. dip — to sink
  3. mug — a cup
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. content — happy
  6. content — the amount
  7. plane — a tool
  8. deal — to handle
  9. bear — the animal
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — to recline
  13. mug — to rob
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. bear — the animal
  24. dip — to dunk

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