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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 girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. row — a line
  3. club — a group
  4. present — a gift
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. object — to protest
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. present — there
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. wake — a trail
  12. club — for golf
  13. object — a thing
  14. present — the time now
  15. object — an aim
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. club — for dancing
  19. row — to paddle
  20. craft — a skill
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. craft — boats

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