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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 ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. firm — decided
  4. firm — steady
  5. suit — in cards
  6. file — a document
  7. spell — magic
  8. suit — clothes
  9. charge — in control
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. spell — a short time
  12. last — final
  13. firm — a company
  14. prune — to trim
  15. file — a line of people
  16. last — to go on
  17. file — a tool
  18. prune — to trim
  19. charge — a price
  20. suit — to fit
  21. charge — electricity
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. last — finally
  24. spell — letters

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