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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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. bank — for money
  4. pit — in a race
  5. bank — of a river
  6. pit — a hole
  7. chest — a box
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. bark — to shout
  11. prune — to trim
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. bulb — for light
  15. prune — to trim
  16. bank — for money
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. pitch — completely
  20. chest — of your body
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. chest — of your body
  24. pitch — a sports field

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