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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. lean — thin
  3. dip — to sink
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. last — final
  7. spell — magic
  8. prune — to trim
  9. bulb — for light
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. last — to go on
  14. bulb — for light
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. last — finally
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. prune — to trim
  20. spell — letters
  21. lean — to bend
  22. spell — a short time
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. wave — with your hand

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