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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. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. field — farmland
  3. wound — an injury
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. perch — the fish
  7. wound — an injury
  8. staff — a stick
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. pit — a hole
  13. field — for sport
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. staff — employees
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. field — a subject
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. stock — goods
  21. pit — in a race
  22. staff — employees
  23. stock — shares
  24. dip — to dunk

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