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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 116 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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. dip — to sink
  3. firm — decided
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. shower — to wash
  6. bat — the animal
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. firm — a company
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bank — for money
  11. scale — size or range
  12. rush — hurry
  13. firm — steady
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. bank — for money
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. bank — of a river
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. scale — in music
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. shower — rain
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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