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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. track — a path
  3. tube — a container
  4. track — to keep track
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. land — to come down
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. tube — the underground
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. shower — rain
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. land — ground
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. shower — to wash
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. track — a song
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. land — a country
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. dip — a sauce

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