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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. spell — letters
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. tear — to rip
  9. craft — boats
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. spell — magic
  12. vault — a safe
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. tear — from crying
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. spell — a short time
  21. craft — a skill
  22. tear — from crying
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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