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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. object — an aim
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. game — wild animals
  7. object — a thing
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. game — a match
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. sharp — clever
  17. tube — a container
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. bear — the animal
  20. object — to protest
  21. tube — the underground
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. bear — the animal

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