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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. squash — the sport
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. last — finally
  6. last — final
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. ball — a dance
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. track — a song
  11. mug — a cup
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. mug — a face
  15. track — a path
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. snap — to click
  18. squash — to crush
  19. last — to go on
  20. track — to keep track
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. ball — a great time
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. mug — to rob

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