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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. kick — in football
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. ground — the earth
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. plane — a tool
  12. ground — crushed
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. tube — a container
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. ground — a position
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. tube — the underground

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