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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. snap — to click
  6. suit — clothes
  7. rock — music
  8. suit — to fit
  9. suit — in cards
  10. perch — the fish
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. toast — bread
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. rock — a stone
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. file — a line of people
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. file — a document
  24. file — a tool

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