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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 116 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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. ball — a great time
  6. season — in sport
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. ball — a dance
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. present — there
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. present — a gift
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. season — of the year
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. present — the time now
  22. chip — to eat
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. chip — for betting

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