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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 120 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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. root — the cause
  3. firm — steady
  4. snap — to click
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. wake — a trail
  9. chip — to eat
  10. firm — a company
  11. march — music
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. root — of a plant
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. firm — decided
  18. march — the month
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. march — the month
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. root — of a word
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. chip — for betting

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