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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 water is too ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. cold — not warm
  3. suit — in cards
  4. bank — of a river
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. suit — to fit
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. court — of law
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. court — of a king
  11. bank — for money
  12. cold — an illness
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. lean — thin
  16. lean — to bend
  17. bank — for money
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. suit — clothes
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. foot — a measure
  22. cold — the Cold War
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. court — for sport

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