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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. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. dip — to sink
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. sharp — clever
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. pound — a weight
  8. wind — moving air
  9. root — the cause
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. root — of a plant
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. mate — to breed
  14. lie — to recline
  15. mate — a friend
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. mate — a partner
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. root — of a word
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. lie — an untruth

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