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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: suit · temple · cabinet · dip · stock · pit · clip · cue

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. dip — to sink
  4. clip — a video
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. suit — to fit
  9. suit — in cards
  10. suit — clothes
  11. clip — for paper
  12. clip — to cut
  13. cue — a signal
  14. stock — shares
  15. cue — for pool
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. pit — a hole
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. cue — a hint
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. stock — goods
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. pit — in a race

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