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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. rule — government
  4. cap — of ice
  5. squash — the sport
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. cap — a hat
  9. bulb — for light
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. cap — a lid
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. rule — a law
  19. squash — to crush
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. bulb — for light
  22. rush — hurry
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. fan — a supporter

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