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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. content — the amount
  6. dip — to sink
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. object — an aim
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. face — part of the head
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. tube — a container
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. object — to protest
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. squash — the sport
  18. face — to confront
  19. object — a thing
  20. content — happy
  21. face — to point toward
  22. squash — to crush
  23. shower — to wash
  24. tube — the underground

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