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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. scale — size or range
  3. rule — government
  4. row — a line
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. ball — a dance
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. scale — in music
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. row — to paddle
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. rule — a law
  17. pound — a weight
  18. mug — a cup
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. ball — a great time
  22. mug — a face
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. mug — to rob

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