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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 116 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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. bat — the animal
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. rock — music
  6. wind — moving air
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. wind — moving air
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. bank — of a river
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. rock — a stone
  17. bore — to drill
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. bore — to tire
  23. bank — for money
  24. bank — for money

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