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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. fine — all right
  6. march — the month
  7. mine — for digging
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. lean — thin
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. march — music
  15. net — after costs
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. net — for catching
  18. fine — high quality
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. net — in sport
  22. march — the month
  23. lean — to bend
  24. mine — an explosive

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