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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 124 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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. wind — moving air
  5. stem — to come from
  6. bass — low music
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. rest — what's left
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. bass — the fish
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. lean — thin
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. wind — moving air
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. pitch — completely
  20. rest — a break
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. deal — to handle
  23. lean — to bend
  24. rest — what's left

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