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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. False peace will not ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. last — to go on
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. face — part of the head
  5. spring — of water
  6. suit — to fit
  7. prune — to trim
  8. spring — a coil
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. suit — clothes
  11. prune — to trim
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. spring — the season
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. face — to point toward
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. last — finally
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. last — final
  21. suit — in cards
  22. dip — to sink
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. face — to confront

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