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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. wake — a trail
  4. dip — to sink
  5. ball — a great time
  6. present — the time now
  7. present — there
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. lean — thin
  12. ball — a dance
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. present — a gift
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. lean — to bend

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