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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. pit — a hole
  4. spell — a short time
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. wound — an injury
  11. wound — an injury
  12. march — the month
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. march — the month
  15. spell — letters
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. roll — a list
  18. march — music
  19. pit — in a race
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. roll — a cake
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. spell — magic

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