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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 120 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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. bass — the fish
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bass — low music
  13. root — of a plant
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. root — the cause
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. root — of a word
  18. rush — hurry

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