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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. season — in sport
  3. spell — letters
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. season — of the year
  6. chest — a box
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. chest — of your body
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. club — for dancing
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. club — for golf
  13. roll — a list
  14. roll — a cake
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. chest — of your body
  19. spell — magic
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. club — a group
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. spell — a short time

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