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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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. chair — a leader
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. pop — to visit
  5. row — a line
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. hand — help
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. hand — in cards
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. row — to paddle
  16. pop — music
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. pop — soda
  24. trunk — of a tree

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