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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. track — a song
  3. track — a path
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. rash — a series
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. snap — to click
  8. bound — tied together
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. foot — a measure
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. wound — an injury
  17. track — to keep track
  18. wound — an injury
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. bound — certain
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. bound — obliged
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. rash — hasty

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