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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 116 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. David sat on the ________________.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. swing — to play on
  3. capital — a city
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. bank — of a river
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. swing — in golf
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. clip — to cut
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. swing — music
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. capital — money
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. bank — for money
  20. clip — a video
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. bank — for money
  24. clip — for paper

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