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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. stand — to bear
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. staff — employees
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. staff — a stick
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. rule — a law
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. rule — government
  15. rush — hurry
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. wind — moving air
  20. wind — moving air
  21. staff — employees
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. rush — a thrill

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