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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. spell — magic
  3. mug — a cup
  4. spell — a short time
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. drill — a practice
  7. mug — to rob
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. mug — a face
  12. rule — government
  13. mark — a grade
  14. spell — letters
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. band — a ring
  18. drill — the tool
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. mark — a trace
  21. band — a music group
  22. drill — army training
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. rule — a law

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