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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. charge — in control
  3. fine — high quality
  4. fine — all right
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. lean — to bend
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. key — for a lock
  10. key — the most important part
  11. spring — the season
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. spring — a coil
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. lean — thin
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. charge — a price
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. key — in music
  23. spring — of water
  24. charge — electricity

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