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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The water is too ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. suit — clothes
  3. cold — not warm
  4. foot — a measure
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. rest — what's left
  7. suit — in cards
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. mine — for digging
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. lean — thin
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. rest — what's left
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. lean — to bend
  20. cold — an illness
  21. suit — to fit
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. rest — a break
  24. patient — a sick person

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