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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.

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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. present — there
  3. fall — to drop
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. rest — what's left
  7. fall — the season
  8. branch — a division
  9. rush — hurry
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. fall — to drop
  12. rest — a break
  13. present — a gift
  14. saw — the tool
  15. saw — the tool
  16. present — the time now
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. root — the cause
  19. root — of a word
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. rest — what's left
  23. root — of a plant
  24. dip — to dunk

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