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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.

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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 big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. net — after costs
  4. last — to go on
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. bulb — for light
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. object — an aim
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. object — to protest
  11. last — final
  12. stem — to come from
  13. tube — a container
  14. bass — low music
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. tube — the underground
  17. net — for catching
  18. last — finally
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. object — a thing
  22. bass — the fish
  23. bulb — for light
  24. net — in sport

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