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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. spell — a short time
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. band — a ring
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. rush — hurry
  8. chip — to eat
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. chip — for betting
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. spell — letters
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. band — a music group
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. chest — a box
  21. pitch — completely
  22. spell — magic
  23. chest — of your body
  24. chest — of your body

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