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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. chest — of your body
  4. spring — the season
  5. spring — a coil
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. firm — decided
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. key — for a lock
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. key — in music
  18. firm — steady
  19. spring — of water
  20. chest — a box
  21. chest — of your body
  22. key — the most important part
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. firm — a company

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