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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 120 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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. can — a tin
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. rest — what's left
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. rock — music
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. foot — a measure
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. rest — a break
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. can — to be able to
  19. pound — a weight
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rock — a stone
  22. can — a tin
  23. mark — a grade
  24. mark — a trace

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