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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. sharp — clever
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. bank — of a river
  5. wound — an injury
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. bank — for money
  9. wake — a trail
  10. root — the cause
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. bore — to tire
  13. root — of a plant
  14. bank — for money
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. chair — a leader
  18. bore — to drill
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. wound — an injury
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. root — of a word

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