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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 120 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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. bear — the animal
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. dip — to sink
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. lie — to recline
  9. mine — for digging
  10. bear — the animal
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. craft — boats
  13. club — for golf
  14. club — a group
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. club — for dancing
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. craft — a skill
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. dip — to dunk

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