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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 light ________________ burned out.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. bulb — for light
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. roll — a cake
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. fall — to drop
  7. roll — a list
  8. drill — army training
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. fine — all right
  11. fall — to drop
  12. drill — a practice
  13. fine — high quality
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. ball — a great time
  16. drill — the tool
  17. season — in sport
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. fall — the season
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. season — of the year
  23. bulb — for light
  24. ball — a dance

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