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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. spring — a coil
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. spring — of water
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. pound — a weight
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. sharp — clever
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. dip — to sink
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. spring — the season
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. dip — to dunk

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