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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. pop — music
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. drill — army training
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. degree — an amount
  9. pop — to visit
  10. lie — to recline
  11. pop — soda
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. drill — the tool
  14. stock — goods
  15. rest — what's left
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. stock — shares
  19. degree — temperature
  20. degree — from a university
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. rest — a break
  23. drill — a practice
  24. rest — what's left

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