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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. stock — shares
  5. rest — what's left
  6. mark — a trace
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. stock — goods
  9. mark — a grade
  10. rest — what's left
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. object — a thing
  15. rest — a break
  16. object — an aim
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. object — to protest

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