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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. lie — to recline
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. spring — the season
  5. ball — a great time
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. spring — of water
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. root — the cause
  12. roll — a list
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. roll — a cake
  15. root — of a plant
  16. deal — to handle
  17. ball — a dance
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. spring — a coil
  20. root — of a word
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. jam — a tight spot

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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