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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. mark — a trace
  6. snap — to click
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. bore — to tire
  9. ground — crushed
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. chest — of your body
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. chest — of your body
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. bore — to drill
  17. ground — a position
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. chest — a box
  21. mark — a grade
  22. ground — the earth
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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