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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. object — to protest
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. object — a thing
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. prune — to trim
  11. rock — a stone
  12. tube — the underground
  13. tube — a container
  14. rock — music
  15. object — an aim
  16. prune — to trim
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. snap — to click
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. pitch — completely

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