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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 light ________________ burned out.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. bulb — for light
  3. last — final
  4. last — to go on
  5. squash — the sport
  6. mark — a grade
  7. rest — a break
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. sharp — clever
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. rest — what's left
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. last — finally
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. squash — to crush
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. mark — a trace
  21. bass — low music
  22. rest — what's left
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. bass — the fish

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