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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: clip · dip · temple · stand · cue · pitcher · mouse · mug

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. mug — a cup
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. mug — a face
  6. clip — for paper
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. stand — to bear
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. mug — to rob
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. clip — a video
  18. clip — to cut
  19. cue — a hint
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. cue — for pool
  22. cue — a signal
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. stand — for spectators

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