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

Word bank: dip · mark · lie · content · chair · ruler · pit · kick

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. mark — a trace
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. pit — in a race
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. mark — a grade
  10. content — the amount
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. lie — to recline
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. kick — in football
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. pit — a hole
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. content — happy
  23. chair — a leader
  24. lie — an untruth

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