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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. bank — for money
  6. shower — to wash
  7. rock — music
  8. bank — for money
  9. pit — a hole
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. rock — a stone
  12. bank — of a river
  13. clip — a video
  14. shower — rain
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. pit — in a race
  18. roll — a cake
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. roll — a list
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. clip — for paper
  23. clip — to cut
  24. safe — a strongbox

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