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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 120 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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. spell — magic
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. dip — to sink
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. spell — letters
  8. foot — a measure
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. shower — rain
  12. shower — to wash
  13. firm — a company
  14. snap — to click
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. firm — decided
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. spell — a short time
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. bulb — for light
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. bulb — for light
  24. firm — steady

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