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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. pop — soda
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. pop — music
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. tear — to rip
  12. pop — to visit
  13. mark — a trace
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. tear — from crying
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. tear — from crying
  19. can — a tin
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. mark — a grade
  22. can — a tin
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. can — to be able to

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