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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  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. rash — hasty
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. firm — a company
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. fork — in a road
  13. band — a music group
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. band — a ring
  17. hand — in cards
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. firm — steady
  20. firm — decided
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. rash — a series
  23. hand — help
  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