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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. mark — a grade
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. face — to point toward
  5. shower — to wash
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. shower — rain
  8. deal — to handle
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. wind — moving air
  13. face — to confront
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. wind — moving air
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. face — part of the head
  24. mark — a trace

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