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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. band — a music group
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. prune — to trim
  8. perch — the fish
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. kid — to tease
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. kid — child
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. band — a ring
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. prune — to trim
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. prune — the fruit

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