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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 120 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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. lean — to bend
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. season — of the year
  9. charge — electricity
  10. file — a tool
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. charge — a price
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. wake — a trail
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. file — a document
  18. charge — in control
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. season — in sport
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. file — a line of people
  24. lean — thin

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