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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. dip — to sink
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. kick — in football
  13. bulb — for light
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. bank — for money
  17. bark — to shout
  18. bank — of a river
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. bank — for money
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. bulb — for light

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