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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. key — for a lock
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. key — in music
  7. mark — a grade
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. row — a line
  11. staff — employees
  12. staff — a stick
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. ball — a great time
  15. mark — a trace
  16. row — to paddle
  17. key — the most important part
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. ball — a dance
  20. bark — to shout
  21. staff — employees
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. row — a quarrel

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