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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. staff — a stick
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. spell — a short time
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. spell — magic
  20. mine — for digging
  21. wake — a trail
  22. staff — employees
  23. spell — letters
  24. staff — employees

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