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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. dip — to sink
  3. net — for catching
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. season — in sport
  6. wax — to grow
  7. shower — rain
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. deal — to handle
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bulb — for light
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. net — in sport
  18. shower — to wash
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. lie — to recline
  21. season — of the year
  22. net — after costs
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bulb — of a plant

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