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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. dip — to sink
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. present — the time now
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. rule — government
  13. rush — hurry
  14. rash — hasty
  15. tube — a container
  16. present — a gift
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. rule — a law
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. present — there
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. tube — the underground

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