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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. ball — a dance
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. rock — music
  7. drill — a practice
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. drill — army training
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. rule — a law
  17. rock — a stone
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. wake — a trail
  20. rule — government
  21. drill — the tool
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. ball — a great time
  24. calf — a young animal

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