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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. dip — to sink
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. mate — a friend
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. toast — bread
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. mate — to breed
  10. bark — to shout
  11. mate — a partner
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. branch — a division
  15. content — happy
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. content — the amount
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. branch — of a tree

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