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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. fall — the season
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. rush — hurry
  9. current — of water
  10. fall — to drop
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. current — happening now
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. season — of the year
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. current — electric
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. dip — to sink
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. season — in sport
  24. fall — to drop

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