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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: mouse · pop · toast · mine · stick · dip · capital · mug

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. mine — for digging
  3. pop — to visit
  4. toast — bread
  5. mug — a face
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. dip — to sink
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. pop — music
  13. pop — soda
  14. mug — to rob
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. capital — a city
  19. capital — money
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. mug — a cup

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