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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 ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. file — a document
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. craft — boats
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. last — to go on
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. game — a match
  14. game — wild animals
  15. last — finally
  16. last — final
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. file — a tool
  20. file — a line of people
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. craft — a skill
  24. toast — bread

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