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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. mug — to rob
  5. spring — of water
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. pit — a hole
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. mug — a face
  14. fine — high quality
  15. chip — for betting
  16. pit — in a race
  17. chip — to eat
  18. bore — to tire
  19. spring — a coil
  20. mug — a cup
  21. dip — to sink
  22. bore — to drill
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. spring — the season

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