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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. drill — the tool
  4. wake — a trail
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. suit — in cards
  7. suit — clothes
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. suit — to fit
  12. ground — the earth
  13. drill — army training
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. drill — a practice
  17. mine — for digging
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ground — crushed
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. ground — a position
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. date — the fruit
  24. ruler — a monarch

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