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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. fork — in a road
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. wind — moving air
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. land — to come down
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. land — a country
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. wind — moving air
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. land — ground
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. bulb — for light
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. bulb — for light

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