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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. spell — a short time
  3. bound — certain
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. spell — magic
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. bound — tied together
  12. rash — a series
  13. stand — to bear
  14. mine — for digging
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. spell — letters
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. bound — obliged
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. rash — hasty
  24. wax — to grow

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