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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. lean — thin
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. bear — the animal
  8. squash — to crush
  9. scale — in music
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. lean — to bend
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. bear — the animal
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. scale — size or range
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. rush — hurry
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. squash — the sport
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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