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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 reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. bound — tied together
  3. bound — obliged
  4. field — farmland
  5. stand — to bear
  6. content — the amount
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. field — a subject
  9. land — a country
  10. field — for sport
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. content — happy
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. snap — to click
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. land — to come down
  22. land — ground
  23. bound — certain
  24. dip — a sauce

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