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

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. bass — low music
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. bass — the fish
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. lash — a whip stroke

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