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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. stand — to bear
  3. pit — a hole
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. rush — hurry
  11. pit — in a race
  12. season — in sport
  13. cap — a hat
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. cap — a lid
  18. cap — of ice
  19. stock — shares
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. season — of the year
  22. stock — goods
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. stand — on your feet

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