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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. ball — a dance
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. rule — government
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. rash — a series
  14. branch — a division
  15. ball — a great time
  16. rule — a law
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. rash — hasty
  22. rock — a stone
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. rock — music

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