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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. face — to point toward
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. fall — to drop
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. face — part of the head
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. fall — to drop
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. fall — the season
  11. fine — all right
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. scale — size or range
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. face — to confront
  17. current — happening now
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. fine — high quality
  20. current — electric
  21. scale — in music
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. current — of water
  24. leaves — to go away

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