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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. perch — the fish
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. can — a tin
  5. season — of the year
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. land — to come down
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. bound — tied together
  12. land — a country
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. bound — certain
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. can — a tin
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. season — in sport
  21. bound — obliged
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. can — to be able to
  24. land — ground

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