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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. fall — to drop
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. hand — in cards
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. pop — to visit
  7. hand — help
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. pop — music
  10. ball — a great time
  11. craft — boats
  12. fall — to drop
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. ball — a dance
  15. current — happening now
  16. pop — soda
  17. current — electric
  18. craft — a skill
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. current — of water
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. fall — the season
  24. dip — a sauce

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