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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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Word bank
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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. dip — to sink
  3. track — a song
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. track — a path
  7. land — to come down
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. stand — to bear
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. saw — the tool
  14. staff — employees
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. track — to keep track
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. staff — employees
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. staff — a stick
  22. land — ground
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. land — a country

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