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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. face — to point toward
  5. face — part of the head
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. face — to confront
  10. wake — a trail
  11. chest — a box
  12. foot — a measure
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. chest — of your body
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. bark — to shout
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. chest — of your body
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. foot — the bottom

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