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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. wound — an injury
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. wound — an injury
  7. face — part of the head
  8. cap — a hat
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. pop — music
  11. face — to point toward
  12. dip — to sink
  13. pop — soda
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. cell — a phone
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. face — to confront
  21. cap — a lid
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. pop — to visit
  24. cap — of ice

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