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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. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. chest — of your body
  3. present — the time now
  4. chest — a box
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. perch — the fish
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. pitch — completely
  11. chest — of your body
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. plane — a tool
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. present — a gift
  16. lean — thin
  17. stock — goods
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. lean — to bend
  20. stock — shares
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. present — there

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