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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 120 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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. object — an aim
  6. spell — letters
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. dip — to sink
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. object — to protest
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. spell — magic
  15. board — a committee
  16. shower — rain
  17. spell — a short time
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. shower — to wash
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. board — to get on
  24. hide — to keep secret

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