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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 120 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 the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. fall — the season
  3. fall — to drop
  4. suit — in cards
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. fall — to drop
  12. court — of a king
  13. spring — of water
  14. spring — a coil
  15. suit — clothes
  16. court — for sport
  17. court — of law
  18. spring — the season
  19. perch — the fish
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. pitch — completely
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. suit — to fit

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