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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 116 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. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. charge — a price
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. tear — to rip
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. tear — from crying
  10. wind — moving air
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. charge — electricity
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. charge — in control
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. tear — from crying
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. wind — moving air
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. ruler — a monarch

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