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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. key — in music
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. wind — moving air
  5. stock — goods
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. key — for a lock
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. tube — the underground
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. lean — to bend
  15. stock — shares
  16. key — the most important part
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. lean — thin
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. kick — in football
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. tube — a container
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. wind — moving air

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