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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 felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. chest — a box
  3. fine — all right
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. mine — for digging
  6. squash — to crush
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. firm — decided
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. firm — steady
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. chest — of your body
  20. fork — in a road
  21. fine — high quality
  22. squash — the sport
  23. firm — a company
  24. dip — to sink

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