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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: squash · dip · toast · object · clip · net · arm · hide

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. object — an aim
  4. squash — the sport
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. dip — to sink
  7. toast — bread
  8. object — a thing
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. net — for catching
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. clip — for paper
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. net — after costs
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. object — to protest
  21. clip — to cut
  22. net — in sport
  23. squash — to crush
  24. clip — a video

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