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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. charge — in control
  4. ball — a great time
  5. wound — an injury
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. ball — a dance
  8. charge — a price
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. tube — the underground
  11. kick — in football
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. mine — for digging
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. wound — an injury
  20. charge — electricity
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. tube — a container
  24. dip — a sauce

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