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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 ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. charge — a price
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. craft — boats
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. spring — of water
  10. ground — crushed
  11. ground — the earth
  12. ground — a position
  13. charge — in control
  14. charge — electricity
  15. band — a ring
  16. band — a music group
  17. craft — a skill
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. spring — a coil
  20. spring — the season
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. hide — to keep secret

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