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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. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. bass — low music
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. court — of law
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. court — of a king
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. prune — to trim
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. court — for sport
  19. bass — the fish
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. prune — to trim
  23. date — the fruit
  24. bass — the instrument

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