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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. wind — moving air
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — for light
  10. mate — a friend
  11. dip — to sink
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. tube — a container
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. saw — the tool
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. saw — the tool
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. bear — the animal
  20. wind — moving air
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. mate — to breed
  23. tube — the underground
  24. mate — a partner

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