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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. prune — to trim
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. last — to go on
  9. wound — an injury
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. rush — hurry
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. last — finally
  15. last — final
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. prune — to trim
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. wound — an injury
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. prune — the fruit

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