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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. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. rush — hurry
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. shower — to wash
  6. ground — the earth
  7. ground — a position
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. rash — a series
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. ground — crushed
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. shower — rain
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. stand — to bear
  24. rash — hasty

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