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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. fall — to drop
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. pit — in a race
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. perch — the fish
  9. key — the most important part
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. pop — soda
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. pop — to visit
  16. fall — to drop
  17. snap — to click
  18. pop — music
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. key — in music
  21. pit — a hole
  22. key — for a lock
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. fall — the season

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